Bleaker outlook for Russian palliative-care patients

Nakhabino, Russia

FOR the five years that doctors have battled the cancerous tumour pressing on her son's spine, Elena Knyazeva has faced an ever-harder struggle to help him weather the pain.

Diagnosed with virulent neuroblastoma at four months, Artyom - now five years old - has had multiple surgeries and rounds of chemotherapy. As a Russian citizen whose family has state-mandated health insurance, he is, in theory, entitled to all the benefits of the Russian public healthcare system.

But in practice, while doctors…