The INCTR Palliative Access (PAX) Program was established in 2002 to decrease the global suffering caused by cancer through improving access to palliative care services in developing countries. There is an urgent humanitarian need for good cancer palliative care worldwide, particularly among disadvantaged populations where patients usually present at an advanced stage when there is little possibility of a cure. Using INCTR’s networks and contacts, PAX personnel have collaborated with local groups to establish regional palliative care centers in India and Nepal. Newer initiatives are underway in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nicaragua and Yemen.  These centers provide specialist palliative care for adults and children with advanced cancer through a combination of inpatient, outpatient and home/community-based services.  In addition, they have become centers for research and teaching, as well as the promotion of improved opioid availability and changes in public health policy to improve palliative care for the population.

PAX also works with other cancer control groups, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (IAEA/PACT), to provide a consulting service to national and regional governments on developing palliative care capacity.

PAX has published a pocket-sized palliative care handbook aimed at non-specialized medical staff, for instance oncologists, who care for patients with advanced disease. This has been a collaborative effort between healthcare professionals in both developed and resource-limited countries. The handbook is now in its second edition. Future plans include publishing an electronic version to the web and ongoing revision in preparation for a third edition.