Palliative medicine in 2050: how will people live the last part of life?

With life expectancies rising as health-related suffering grows, and efforts to extend the human lifespan unfold against a backdrop of rising health inequalities, the landscape and nature of dying in 2050 is uncertain. Recognising this uncertainty, we have chosen to take an optimistic perspective about what 2050 may hold at the end of life, exploring not only the challenges, but also the emerging possibilities that may shape our dying, caring and grieving. This vision is primarily based on our experiences as clinicians based in the UK, but has potential to be realised more widely.