Medicalisation is an idea of how the social world understands the medical gaze (Kennedy and Kennedy, 2010). “It can be described as a process by which non-medical problems, usually in terms of illness and disorder” (Kawachi and Conrad:1996 cited in Pollock). In sociology, medicalization is not a “new” concept that has brought some problems when it comes to human conditions.
This was reflected in the critique of 1960s liberationists who deeply have the sense of social crisis that has given an authoritative challenge to medical professionals, capitalists and patriarchal order. Even though they have different views, they ended up creating therapies and psychiatric treatments that reject the medical model of mental health (Radical Therapists Collective 1971). Around 1970 the social scientists and others became more critical about the mainstream of medicine. However, Illich, (1976) stated that, “Medical Imperialism has been claimed as a “medical establishment” and has been a “major threat to health”. This has brought the capitalist’s notion to those who are in medical business and their intention to produce more drugs medical technology that suits everyone while it controls the individual, whereas it creates dependency care that can cause side effects and “social iatrogenesis” (Illich,1976). Illich (1976) suggested that medical damage to an individual can occur by a socio-political model. He also puts the blame on the social environment as an impact on medicine, which leads to generating the growing of disabling dependence, which promotes capitalism to expand marketing, working together with companies such as giant Pfizer marketing their drugs and limiting the right to self-care. He also argued that the organized medicine will undermine individual ability to face reality, expressing their values in irremediable, pain, impairment, decline and death (Williams 1996). Illich’s work, supported by Facoult (1963) in his Medical Gaze, patient’s autonomy has become less important than the doctor’s judgement.
It was suggested that “illness” such madness and alcoholism have occurred both from `deviant behaviour’ and `natural life process, gambling and transsexualism, then latter spanning sexuality, child development, menopause, ageing and death (Conrad 1992). Furthermore, Erving has acknowledged that the medical world has paid a close attention to psychiatric which is socially constructed under social beliefs, therefore, the symptoms are basically as a violation of socially sanctioned conventions which means they are constructed (Goffman, 1961). Whereas, in mental illness psychiatrists grasp major social control, by removing people with mental health illness from society moving them to asylum accommodation that humanises a dehumanised group of people (Goffman, 2009). This can be seen in Medical Imperialism, which states that the medical world holds high social dominance and power against society (Illich, 1976).
It is evidenced that in the past twenty years of Illich’s work, that there is unexplained foreseen health care cost which leads overspending more money in one area rather than spending it where it needed such as curing HIV/AIDS and cancer. Illich’s idea was also supported by Weil (unknown cited Illich 1976) who acknowledges that the “contemporary medicine.” is more real than what it truthfully is (Illich, 1976).
Therefore, this shows that in society today after twenty plus years, it has been proven to be accurate regarding medical imperialism due to medicalisation and the developments intercede by the media and encouraging their products. Moreover, both the Medical Nemesis and Limits to Medicine, have been remarkable Medicine gave both the patients and doctors some benefits will not only patients and doctors giving them the credibility to coop with reality (Illich, 1976).
By Raudzi Mufakazi
Medicalisation, Normality and the Body 