Accepted for/Published in: Interactive Journal of Medical Research
Date Submitted: Mar 6, 2025
Date Accepted: Apr 29, 2025
Date Submitted to PubMed: Apr 30, 2025
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Ethical implications of the use of Artificial Intelligence in palliative medicine: An integrative review
ABSTRACT
Background:
Palliative medicine, especially end-of-life care, is an essential component of medical care, focused on alleviating the physical, emotional and spiritual suffering of patients with advanced or terminal illnesses. However, implementing emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), in this field raises important ethical implications that must be carefully considered. AI can potentially improve the quality and efficiency of palliative medicine, optimising pain management, communication and clinical decision-making. However, its use in a context as sensitive as end-of-life also raises concerns related to privacy, equity, the dehumanisation of care and decision-making dilemmas.
Objective:
This study seeks to analyse the main ethical implications of using AI in palliative medicine at the end of life through an integrative review of recent literature. Both the benefits and risks of these technologies are explored to propose strategies for ethical and responsible implementation. It also evaluates how AI can influence the patient's experience in their final moments, addressing both positive and negative aspects. It will, likewise, analyse the technical benefits and risks of AI, but similarly consider how these tools can complement or hinder the ethical relationship between carer and patient.
Methods:
An integrative review was carried out, based on studies published between 2020 and 2025 in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Scientific databases such as PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar were accessed to identify relevant articles. The selection of studies was grounded on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, ensuring a rigorous and systematic approach. The extracted information was organised thematically to identify trends, challenges and key considerations in applying AI in palliative medicine.
Results:
The review identified six key areas in the application of AI in palliative medicine: a) Practical applications of AI, b) Communication and AI tools, c) Patient experience and humanisation of care, d) Ethical implications, e) Ethical and quality of life perspectives, f) Challenges and limitations of AI.
Conclusions:
AI has the potential to transform palliative medicine and improve the patient experience and outcomes, but its implementation must be patient-centred and aligned with fundamental ethical principles. It is recommended that policies and guidelines be developed to ensure equity, privacy and humanisation in AI-assisted palliative care, as well as to improve the end-of-life experience through the ethical use of AI. Clinical Trial: not
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