The Portuguese Association for Palliative Care was founded on July 21, 1995, under the name National Association for Palliative Care (ANCP).

The founding members, most of whom worked in the Palliative Care Unit of the Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto, felt the need and obligation to promote palliative care in Portugal. To this end, they decided to bring together professionals from different areas with an interest in this field and founded an association called the "National Association of Palliative Care".

The main objective of these professionals was to promote the development, study, research, and teaching of palliative care provided to patients with advanced and progressive chronic diseases, with a view to achieving the best possible quality of life, integrating psychological, social, and spiritual aspects and considering the basic needs of the family, both during life and beyond death.

The first president of ANCP was Professor Ferraz Gonçalves.

Founding Members:

José António Saraiva Ferraz Gonçalves,
Isabel Maria Martins Dias da Costa,
Maria Lília Fernandes Ferreira da Costa,
Lurdes Maria Fonseca Barreira,
Margarida Isabel Santos Freitas Alvarenga,
Maria José Nogueira Gomes Moura,
Maria Amélia Fernandes Teixeira

Honorary Associates:

José António Ferraz Gonçalves,
Isabel Galriça Neto,
Manuel Luís Capelas,
Samuel Levy,
Cristina Galvão
Lourenço Marques,
Ana Bernardo

In the spring of 1996, the first ANCP Bulletin was published, with a quarterly schedule.