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The article presents an analysis of the prerequisites for the emergence of palliative care and its functions in modern Russia. The fundamental idea of modern palliative care is the absence of suffering of an incurable patient, first of all, the minimization of physical suffering, while palliative care allows solving a number of problems in the field of comprehensive support for incurable patients. Palliative care in its organizational forms begins its development in European countries and the USA, the hospice movement also emerges in Russia, however, certain prerequisites for caring for incurable patients (and not only oncological patients) were created in our country back in the 19th century. The scientific prerequisites for the formation of hospices as special institutions whose purpose is to care for dying patients are the experience of treating chronic pain, as well as effective psychotropic drugs, dynamically developing anti-cancer chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and achievements of medical psychology. An analysis of the functions of palliative care allows us to come to the conclusion that for palliative medicine and healthcare in Russia in general, the priority goal is to relieve the patient from pain; it is also important to disseminate information about possible means of achieving this effect. Palliative care relieves incurable patients from the humiliation caused by pain, illness, and infirmity. It implements several functions: it forms charitable medicine as a new form of medical and social service for incurable patients, promotes the provision of medical care to patients in the terminal stage, including at home, allows for symptomatic treatment of patients in the terminal stages, and organizes qualified care for them using psychotherapeutic and traditional methods, select and carry out the necessary pain relief therapy, provide psychological and social support to relatives during the period of illness and loss of a loved one.