29 June 2007

On 19 June 2007, The New York Times published Dr. Richard A. Friedman’s article, aptly titled, “On the Horizon, Personalized Depression Drugs”.  Naturally, it is slanted from a physician’s viewpoint, so the idea of a genetically determined diagnostic and prescription treatment process whereby the ‘salesman’ is eliminated is expressed as a great step forward for the medical industry.  Not only will the ‘salesman’ be eliminated, but also the online prescription market.  Furthermore, from an inside ‘glimpse’ into the existing prescription drug market,  the existing ‘hit or miss’ approach will be supposedly replaced by a fine-tuned biologically-determined process.

Two frightening thoughts immediately leap out:

1) What kind of world are we living in where the existing methodology to cure ailments is ‘hit or miss’?!?
2) With the proposed methodology, brave new world flashbacks vividly erupt to fruition where individuality is calibrated to oblivion.  Identity infringements, perhaps?

I already have a problem with the pharmaceutical industry and the virtual mass-brainwashing of individuals to instant-gratification prescription ‘fixes’.  The hypothetical Dr. Friedman gives in his brief narrative is caution enough against drugs, not to mention the television and radio advertisements disclaiming list after list of “possible” side-effects: “…there is a 60 percent chance that you’ll feel better…and…it could take as long as four to six weeks to find out, during which time you’ll probably have some side effects from the drug.”

What about doctors adhering to their Hippocratic Oath and root out the cause of the ailment by addressing the individual’s overall lifestyle, diet, work, and environmental health?  What is wrong with getting to the cause, rather than address the superficial effect(s) piecemeal?  Research!?!

The personalization of drugs - period - is just really leading us all to a murky cesspool: a future where everyone can be potentially customized biologically with their own drug dependency.  Instead, why not propose a personalized process for the weaning-off of drugs – custom drug-independency – along with a lifestyle formula for each individual’s own biological, physical, and mental success?

Doctors take the Hippocratic Oath for the supposed good of their future patients.  With the proposed genetically-determined prescription process, it really looks like patients are being asked to make a Faustian deal with their respective doctors.  Does not seem like an equal exchange…

This appears to be the increasing trend arising with ‘enhanced’ personalization services: increased impersonalization, isolation, and deterioration of our society and our culture.  And this is not limited to the medical/hospital industry.  The individual’s entire consumer ‘experience’ is ironically absent of civilized customer service – even of help on a human level – despite this more globalizing world that supposedly unites, connects, and ‘networks’ individuals over boundaries of time, space, and geography.  With self-empowering electronic technologies, it seems the ‘machine’ is our last bastion of refuge to survive, navigate, and endure.

Quite a brave new world, indeed!