Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026
05:10
Drug Repurposing Hypothesis Generation Using the "RE:fine Drugs" System
Published on: December 11, 2016
The pharmaceuticalisation of society? A framework for analysis.
Simon J Williams1, Paul Martin, Jonathan Gabe
1Department of Sociology, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL. S.J.Williams@warwick.ac.uk
Sociology of Health & Illness
|March 5, 2011
Summary
This study critically analyzes pharmaceuticalization, examining how health issues become drug-based solutions. It explores socio-technical processes in drug innovation and market expansion, offering a framework for future research.
Area of Science:
- Medical Sociology
- Science and Technology Studies
Background:
- Pharmaceuticalization involves redefining health problems as requiring pharmaceutical solutions.
- It encompasses evolving governance, mediation, and the creation of new techno-social identities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically analyze the nature and status of pharmaceuticalization.
- To examine its key dimensions and dynamics, including market expansion and drug innovation.
Main Methods:
- Drawing on insights from medical sociology and science and technology studies.
- Analyzing heterogeneous socio-technical processes at macro and micro levels.
Main Results:
- Pharmaceuticalization involves redefining health problems for pharmaceutical solutions.
- It includes changing governance, mediation, and the creation of patient groups.
- Drug innovation and non-medical drug use are key dynamics.
Conclusions:
- Pharmaceuticalization is a complex set of socio-technical processes.
- These processes operate at multiple, often incomplete, levels.
- The analysis provides a framework for future sociological research on pharmaceuticalization.
Related Concept Videos
01:03Drug Control Governance: Regulatory Bodies and Their Impact
Drug control governance involves the oversight and regulation of pharmaceuticals to ensure their safety and efficacy while preventing illegal drug use and trafficking. Regulatory bodies, including the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Union's European Medicines Agency (EMA), play a central role in this process. These agencies evaluate the safety and efficacy of drugs before they can be marketed. They fund clinical trials and assess the benefits and risks associated with a...
01:26Drug Administration and Therapy Phases: Overview
Drugs, the chemical agents used in diagnosing, treating, or preventing diseases, undergo a four-phase process of development: pharmaceutic, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and therapeutic.
The pharmaceutical phase focuses on leveraging the physicochemical properties of the drug to design and manufacture an effective product. Variants include orally administered tablets or capsules, topical creams or ointments, and parenteral-delivery solutions or emulsions.
The pharmacokinetic phase...
The pharmaceutical phase focuses on leveraging the physicochemical properties of the drug to design and manufacture an effective product. Variants include orally administered tablets or capsules, topical creams or ointments, and parenteral-delivery solutions or emulsions.
The pharmacokinetic phase...
01:25Drug Regulation
Drug regulation encompasses the management of drug usage by evaluating its safety and efficacy through assessments conducted by regulatory authorities. Regrettably, the history of drug regulation is marred by several catastrophic events. One such incident is the Elixir Sulfanilamide tragedy, in which the toxic compound diethyl glycol was included in a sweet-tasting medication, leading to numerous fatalities. This event prompted the enactment of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in 1938. Under...
01:26Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios
Pharmaceutical poisoning can occur through various channels, impacting an estimated 2 million hospitalized patients in the U.S. annually with serious adverse drug responses. These scenarios encompass both therapeutic uses, such as drug toxicity, where even standard dosages can lead to severe central nervous system depression, and non-therapeutic exposures, including accidental ingestion by children, and environmental and occupational exposures.Unintentional poisonings often involve exploratory...
01:12Analysis of Population Pharmacokinetic Data
Analysis of population pharmacokinetic data involves studying the behavior of drugs within diverse populations to understand their pharmacokinetic parameters. Traditional pharmacokinetic methods typically involve collecting samples from a few individuals and estimating these parameters. While these methods are commonly used, they have limitations in capturing the variability in drug response among individuals or heterogeneous populations. Population pharmacokinetics is employed to address these...
01:19Pharmacovigilance
Post-marketing surveillance is a critical component of pharmaceutical regulation, often uncovering unanticipated adverse drug reactions (ADRs) once a drug is widely used over an extended period.
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...