'To die with dignity': an update on Palliative Care.

Significant developments have occurred in the discipline of palliative care in the modern era. This paper shall explore those developments, challenge some widely held misconceptions about the role and daily practice of the discipline, highlight the growing recognition of the role of palliative care in non-malignant diseases, briefly discuss innovations in symptom management and reflect on the underlying principles, maturation and challenges faced by the discipline.