GPIC at ALCP 2026
São Paulo, Brazil — March 2026
On March 10-14th, Global Partners in Care (GPIC) participated in the XII Latin American Association for Palliative Care (ALCP) Congress, hosted alongside the XI Academia Nacional de Cuidados Paliativos (ANCP) Congress in São Paulo. The Congress brought together clinicians, researchers, policymakers, educators and advocates from across Latin America and the global palliative care community for learning, exchange and collaboration.
GPIC’s engagement throughout the week reflected our ongoing commitment to strengthening regional and cross‑regional connections while amplifying innovative work already underway.
Learning, Leadership and Exchange
As part of the Congress program, GPIC participated in a panel on global leadership in palliative care and had the opportunity to visit the Instituto Perdizes do Hospital das Clínicas (IPer–HC FMUSP). These engagements highlighted the depth of clinical, academic and advocacy leadership present in Brazil and reinforced the value of creating spaces where regional experience and global perspectives can inform one another.
Throughout the conference, the conversations, plenaries and roundtables echoed themes heard across the Congress: persistent misunderstandings about palliative care among patients and providers, misconceptions about opioid use, late referrals, and inequities in access to care. At the same time, participants shared compelling examples of progress and innovation – underscoring that the challenge ahead is not only addressing gaps but better connecting and supporting existing strengths. As this was GPIC’s first time in Latin America, we were struck by some of the similarities across the globe of the challenges and successes presented. In our work, we continue to see how sharing knowledge across geographies and contexts has the potential to connect and strengthen efforts in global palliative care. Specifically, we are exploring the opportunities for the learning to be contextualized for the U.S, including Latino and Hispanic populations.
GPIC also supported ALCP to convene a lunch for national palliative care association presidents, continuing our work to foster inter‑ and cross‑regional collaboration. The gathering created space for candid conversation about shared challenges and opportunities to learn from one another across different health system contexts.
A key GPIC engagement at the Congress was supporting a communications contest in partnership with ALCP and ANCP. The initiative was designed to recognize creative and innovative approaches to communicating about palliative care across the region, with the theme of “reducing preventable suffering”. Read more on this here.
Reflections and Gratitude
Throughout the Congress, GPIC was inspired by the scope and impact of work happening across Latin America. From clinical innovation to advocacy and education to centering storytelling and compassion, the region continues to demonstrate leadership that offers valuable lessons globally.
We are deeply grateful to the entire ALCP team for their partnership, generosity and support leading up to and throughout the Congress. Their leadership made it possible to convene meaningful conversations and deepen connections that will extend well beyond the week in São Paulo.
As GPIC reflects on ALCP 2026, we leave energized by the connections made, the ideas shared and the opportunities ahead. A recurring theme from the Congress resonates strongly with GPIC: meaningful collaboration does not happen by chance. Strong networks require intentional investment – through relationships, shared learning and mechanisms that make cooperation sustainable over time.
We look forward to continuing and expanding partnerships across Latin America as we work together toward a more connected, inclusive and impactful future for palliative care worldwide.