Medical practice today is disease-focused, ignoring the universally accepted definition of health as not just the absence of disease, but the promotion of complete physical, social and mental well-being. Generations of doctors in India have not studied modern pain management, and palliative care is practically unknown in most parts of the country, causing patients to be rejected by hospitals and doctors when they need help the most. The draconian Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985, outdated medical and nursing education, lack of public awareness and lack of clear governmental policy are responsible for this sorry state of affairs.