Norsk forening for palliativ medisin er en spesialforening i Legeforeningen. Fagområdet palliativ medisin fokuserer på lindring og  livskvalitet for pasienter og deres pårørende i hele forløpet av livstruende sykdom. WHO definerer palliasjon slik: Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other physical, psychosocial and spiritual problems.