Moral, legal and practical implications of palliation on the battlefield, in the context of large-scale combat operations.

This essay was awarded the BMJ Military Health essay prize 2025, announced at the Colt Foundation research meeting held in London in December 2025, in response to the question posed: "In the context of large-scale combat operations, discuss the moral, legal and practical implications of palliation on the battlefield". It outlines the challenges and makes the case for palliation as an essential component of modern military medicine.