Medicalization: current concept and future directions in a bionic society

Area of Science:

• Sociology of Medicine
• Bioethics
• Medical Anthropology

Background:

• The concept of medicalization, initially linked to medical imperialism, has evolved significantly.
• Contemporary drivers of medicalization include consumer demand, advancements in biotechnology, and managed care systems.
• Theoretical discourse has expanded to include parallel concepts such as pharmaceuticalization, genetization, and biomedicalization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the multifaceted concept of medicalization and its theoretical underpinnings.
• To analyze the evolving landscape of medicalization beyond its traditional association with medical imperialism.
• To examine the utility of emerging concepts in understanding human enhancement within a 'bionic society'.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of medicalization theories.
• Review of literature on consumer influence, biotechnology, and managed care in medicine.
• Exploration of parallel concepts like pharmaceuticalization, genetization, and biomedicalization.

Main Results:

• Medicalization is no longer solely driven by medical imperialism but also by consumers, biotechnology, and managed care.
• New theoretical frameworks, including pharmaceuticalization, genetization, and biomedicalization, offer nuanced perspectives.
• Human enhancement, defined as using biomedical technology for non-therapeutic improvement, is a growing phenomenon.

Conclusions:

• The concept of medicalization requires a broader understanding, incorporating diverse societal and technological influences.
• Emerging concepts provide valuable tools for analyzing contemporary bioethical issues like human enhancement.
• The rise of human enhancement signals a shift towards a 'bionic society' where biomedical technologies redefine human capabilities.