Resumen: This book aims to fill the gap in knowledge on the status of palliative care development in the Eastern Mediterranean region. It presents the most relevant information on palliative care development in a way that is clear, accessible, and easy to interpret for professionals, policymakers, and the general public. We explore the existence and availability of specialized palliative care services; the existence of a licensing process for physicians in the form of a specialty or sub-specialty; and the existence of educational initiatives within the field of palliative care in medical schools, nursing schools, or other settings. We also document the number of professors engaged in teaching palliative care in various disciplines; the existence of a policy umbrella insuring the proper implementation of palliative care services, such as a national law on palliative care, a national palliative care plan or strategy, or a concrete reference to palliative care in a national cancer control program; the existence of funding and coverage for palliative care; and the presence of evidence-based documents such as guidelines, recommendations, or clinical pathways. Data on the availability of strong opioids, as well as general data on consumption of opioids expressed in morphine equivalence are presented. Finally, existence of national palliative care organizations, and of individuals or larger groups devoted to research in palliative care are listed, as these are indications of vitality in the