Lukas Radbruch, MD

Chair of Palliative Medicine
University of Bonn, Germany

E-mail: lukas.radbruch@malteser.org
Skype: lukas.radbruch

Professor Lukas Radbruch is the Chair of Palliative Medicine at the University of Bonn, in the Western part of Germany. He has been the first Chair of Palliative Medicine at the RWTH Aachen University in Aachen from 2003-2010. Professor Radbruch attended medical school in Bonn, Germany, specialized in anaesthesiology and completed his habilitation (the German equivalent of a PhD) in 2000 in Cologne. His main research interests include symptom assessment, opioid treatment, fatigue, cachexia and ethical issues in palliative care. Professor Radbruch is involved in European palliative care research collaboratives and coordinates the project Access To Opioid Medication in Europe, which is funded by the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Commission.

Other Appointments

International Associate Faculty and Mentor, International Palliative Care Leadership Development Initiative, The Institute for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice, San Diego, California, USA, 2010 to present
Head of the Department of Palliative Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, Germany
Head of the Centre of Palliative Care, Malteser Hospital Bonn / Rhein-Sieg, Germany, present
Member of the Board of the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care, present
Past-President of the European Association for Palliative Care, 2010-2011
Member of the Drug Commission of the German Medical Board, 2004-present
Member of the Expert Commission of the German Narcotic Control Agency, 2004-present
Editor of the journal Der Schmerz (Impact factor 1.4)
Member of the Expert Advisory Committee of the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC)
Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

Key Accomplishments

Coordinator of the ATOME consortium (Access to opioid medications in Europe) funded by the 7th Framework programme of the European Commission, 2009-present

Education / Honors

Habilitation in Anesthesiology and Palliative Medicine at the University of Cologne, 2000

Key Publications
Journal articles

Caraceni A, Hanks G, Kaasa S, Bennett MI, Brunelli C, Cherny N, Dale O, De Conno F, Fallon M, Hanna M, Haugen DF, Juhl G, King S, Klepstad P, Laugsand EA, Maltoni M, Mercadante S, Nabal M, Pigni A, Radbruch L, Reid C, Sjogren P, Stone PC, Tassinari D, Zeppetella G; for the European Palliative Care Research Collaborative (EPCRC); on behalf of the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC). Use of opioid analgesics in the treatment of cancer pain: evidence-based recommendations from the EAPC. Lancet Oncology 13 (2012) e58-e68
Radbruch L, Trottenberg P, Elsner F, Kaasa S, Caraceni A: Systematic Review on the Role of Alternative Application Routes for Opioid Treatment for Moderate to Severe Cancer Pain: an Epcrc Opioid Guidelines Project. Palliative Medicine 25 (2011) 578-96
Ries A, Trottenberg P, Elsner F, Stiel S, Haugen D, Kaasa S, Radbruch L. A systematic review on the role of fish oil for the treatment of cachexia in advanced cancer: An EPCRC cachexia guidelines project. Palliat Med (2011) online first
Cherny N, Baselga J, De Conno F, Radbruch L: Formulary availability and regulatory barriers to accessibility of opioids for cancer pain in Europe: a report from the ESMO/EAPC Opioid Policy Initiative. Ann Oncol 21 (2010) 615-26
Peuckmann-Post V, Elsner F, Krumm N, Trottenberg P, Radbruch L. Pharmacological treatments for fatigue associated with palliative care. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010 , Issue 11 . Art. No.: CD006788. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006788.pub2
Radbruch L, Payne S, Bercovitch M, Caraceni A, de Vlieger T, Firth P, Hegedus K, Nabal M, Rhebergen A, Smidlin E, Sjögren P, Tishelman C, Wood C, de Conno F: White paper on standards and norms for hospice and palliative care in Europe part 1– recommendations from the European Association for Palliative Care. European Journal of Palliative Care 16 (2009) 278-89
Radbruch L, Payne S, Bercovitch M, Caraceni A, de Vlieger T, Firth P, Hegedus K, Nabal M, Rhebergen A, Smidlin E, Sjögren P, Tishelman C, Wood C, de Conno F: White paper on standards and norms for hospice and palliative care in Europe part 2– recommendations from the European Association for Palliative Care. European Journal of Palliative Care 17 (2010) 22-33
Walsh D, Caraceni A, Fainsinger R, Foley K, Glare P, Goh C, Lloyd-Williams M, Nunez-Olarte J, Radbruch L: Palliative Medicine. Elsevier, Philadelphia 2009 (ISBN 978-0-323-05674-8)

Key Presentations

Radbruch L: Current Highlights of European Palliative Care Developments. Symposium “Palliative Care in Europe – Challenges and Current Developments”, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn, 16. February 2011
Radbruch L: Diversity in palliative care needs, delivery and outcomes in Europe. 11th Australian Palliative Care Conference, Cairns, 29. August – 2. September 2011
Radbruch L: Neues aus der Opioidtherapie. Symposium ” Innovative Therapien in der Palliativmedizin” der Paul Martini Stiftung , Berlin, 25. November 2011
Pogany-Wnendt P, Radbruch L, Ruben S, Wagner G: 60 Years after the Holocaust – Repercussions into the Germany of Today (Paneldiskussion), Tagung der International Working Group on Death, Dying and Bereavement, Bergisch-Gladbach, 11. Mai 2010
Radbruch L: Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide: where is the research frontier today? A topical review. 6th Research Congress of the European Association for Palliaitive Care, Glasgow, 11. Juni 2010
Radbruch L: Die Notwendigkeit nationaler Standards und internationaler Netzwerke zur Palliativversorgung. Präsentation der Charta zur Betreuung von schwerkranken und sterbenden Menschen in Deutschland, Berlin, 8. September 2010
Radbruch L: What doctors contribute – team work in palliative care. 35th ESMO Congress, Mailand, 9. Oktober 2010
Radbruch L: A European Palliative Care? Cultural differences between the member states. Forum Against Cancer Europe, European Parliament, Brüssel, 16. November 2010