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This paper reports findings from visits to palliative care settings and research units in the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands. The aim was to learn about clinicians' (both nurses and doctors) and academic researchers' understandings and experiences of palliative sedation for managing suffering at the end of life, and their views regarding its clinical, ethical and social implications. The project was linked to two larger studies of technologies used in palliative care. Eleven doctors, 14 nurses and 10 researchers took part in informal interviews. Relevant reports and papers from the academic, clinical and popular press were also collected from the three countries. The study took place in a context in which attention has been drawn towards palliative sedation by the legalisation of euthanasia in the Netherlands and Belgium, and by the reexamination of the legal position on assisted dying in the UK. In this context, palliative sedation has been posited by some as an alternative path of action. We report respondents' views under four headings: understanding and responding to suffering; the relationship between palliative sedation and euthanasia; palliative sedation and artificial hydration: and risks and uncertainties in the clinician-patient/family relationship. We conclude that the three countries can learn from one another about the difficult issues involved in giving compassionate care to those who are suffering immediately before death. Future research should be directed at enabling dialogue between countries: this has already been shown to open the door to the development of improved palliative care and to enhance respect for the different values and histories in each. Keywords: Europe; Palliative care; End-of-life care; Euthanasia; UK; Belgium; The Netherlands

Objectives: As people face cancer and the end of life, the social, cultural and therapeutic role of food takes on an increasing significance. As part of a larger study involving older Chinese people resident in the UK, we investigated their beliefs about the influence of food on cancer and its role in supportive cancer care., Design: A two-phase qualitative research study involved older Chinese people identified via Chinese community groups. In phase one, 46 older Chinese people participated in seven focus group discussions. In phase two, semi-structured interviews were conducted in Cantonese or Mandarin with 46 different older Chinese people to elicit their understandings of the role of food in health and illness generally and specifically for those with cancer., Results: The analyses revealed four main themes: (1) food as 'therapeutic'; (2) food as 'risky'; (3) food as supportive and comforting; and (4) beliefs about the lack of culturally appropriate and acceptable food in hospitals. Expectations about the lack of Chinese food and the poor quality and perceived unsuitability of 'western' food were regarded as major concerns in relation to hospital admission., Discussion: Understanding the perceived cultural and therapeutic significance of food and its functions in social exchange is one important aspect of promoting supportive and end-of-life cancer care for minority communities. These views helped explain the diversity and salience of food use in illness for older Chinese people resident in the UK.