No one can doubt that the current development levels of society have become possible due to the medical industry. Achievements in this sphere increased life quality and duration, which allowed people to use medical knowledge in other life spheres, which is known as medicalization. Irrespective of numerous advantages, medicalization started losing its importance to biomedicalization, while the Human Genome Project, organ transplantation, and pharmaceuticalization demonstrate that this new phenomenon supports neo-liberalism.
In the beginning, it is necessary to explain how and why biomedicalization is usurping medicalization. The creation of new technologies, including the Human Genome Project and organ transplantation, contributed to the spread of biomedicalization (Clarke, 2016).
Consequently, since the spheres of illness, health, and medicine witnessed many complexities and new challenges, a novice approach is required to deal with them, which denotes that more professionals and patients refer to biomedicalization. It is worth admitting that biomedicalization supports neo-liberalism because the two rely on economic progress and political freedom. According to Clarke (2016), three current health trends are the Human Genome Project, organ transplantation, and pharmaceuticalization, and they reflect neo-liberal ideas. Economic progress promoted scientific and technological development, while these trends provide people with the freedom to shape their selves.
In conclusion, the medical sphere has significantly impacted the world, but its modern counterpart, biomedicalization, becomes more influential. This issue relies on technological advancements that allow people to modify their bodies, and this approach is usurping traditional medicalization. This approach also supports neo-liberalism that focuses on political freedom and economic progress. The Human Genome Project, organ transplantation, and pharmaceuticalization are suitable examples that demonstrate how the two phenomena above are distributed among people. Consequently, the technological improvements in society result in the fact that the medical industry is witnessing essential changes.
Reference
Clarke, J. N. (2016). Health, illness, and medicine in Canada (7th ed.). Ontario, Canada: Oxford University Press.