In order to evaluate Illich’s idea of medical power and influence in the case study regarding men’s bodies, firstly the word ‘Medicalization’ will be define. The process in which non-medical conditions became defined and treated as medical conditions in form of illness and disorders. Therefore, medical authorities have now identified numerous conditions that is normally, but now known as diseases or disorders. In the case of men’s baldness, Erectile dysfunction and many others became medicalized (Conrad, 2007). According to the studies of gender and medicalization, men’s bodies were mostly ignored and they focused mainly on women, due to the clam that women are more vulnerable to medicalization than men (Riessman,1983). However, recently men and masculinity has now been medicalized through medical authority (Conrad, 2007) illich claim of medical imperialism of defining normal body of aging male bodies been medicalized and re-define as normal and abnormal Illich (1976)
Furthermore, Illich (1976) argued that medical doctors and big business like the pharmaceutical company have authority in defining normality. Since this believed abstraction of ‘normality create fear in our society, men therefore began to search for this perception normal body which has been created in our society. On the other hands,, Nieschlag stated that “Aging in healthy men is normally not accompanied by abrupt or drastic fact alterations of gonadal function, and androgen production as well as fertility can be largely preserved until very old age” (Nieschlag and Behre,1998;437-38). Nonetheless Foucault argued that the medical practitioner has been given authority by the “scientific” knowledge to distinguish the fact (Foucault 1975). In contrast, illich also supported the sociology theorist which claims that men bodies are socially constructed due to the influences of other social forces; for example, capitalism, pharmaceutical and the belief of masculinity. All these had influence the roll of medicalization in men’s bodies (Harvey, 2013).
More importantly, masculinity in men is one of the powerful pressure that influences men seeking for normality. Consequently, this believed abstraction of normality had move aging from natural life event to medicalization, and this impression of medicalization is self-motivated which could often develop new ways. Such as using the aging men’s lives and bodies that had gradually become under medical authority, using the new medical and scientific ideology which had contributed to the medicalization of male bodies. To start with the aged male bodies which ought to be a natural life event, now moved to be abnormal through the medical authority and the discovery of many medical problem that needed to be treated like the hormone testosterone, this is an example of medicalization. Medical authority focus on the aging body to create fears in our society due the male aging process. These medicalizations were categories as Andropause, Erectile Dysfunction and baldness. Thus all these demonstrate the way medicine, outlooks masculinity (Conrad, 2007). Previously, baldness was known as hair loss, but as time goes on, it was medicalized to create fear; thereafter, it was link to depression, low self-esteem, introversion and more. In contrast, these perception people like Andre Agassi, Michael Jorden and others who are stars refused to be intimidated and controlled by shaving their remaining hair. Moreover, Andropause was another way of misleading people in other worlds, this is age decline of testosterone in men. Hoberman at the same time, claim that andropause or other term use are just physiologically incorrect because men do not generally have the knowledge and time of gonadal activities as well as reproductive (Hoberman,2005;141)
In addition, norms and values regarding masculinity are all structured by the society, in the aspect of medical professionals therefore creates chances for capitalism to increase by including the pharmaceutical industries in growing their markets for the people who sell and deliver treatments. (Moynihan, 2002). Besides, carpiano however argue that ED is not a disease; according to carpiano, it merely shaped as a disease mongering. More-so, all natural life event are now under medical observation (Carpiano, 2001). Nevertheless, Viagra is merely being mistreated using it to treat natural issues that certainly do not need medical intervention. To further support this claims ED is in fact normal incidence of male as they grow older in life. MacDougal equally argued that treatments occur only to” combat the process of ageing” MacDougall (2006, p. 61) In all stages of life; people will experience different issues which are entirely natural and do not requires medical intervention. Furthermore, it has been argued that there is no medicine sales over-the -counter drug growing in sales in effort to treatment to the newly presented ‘’socially legitimate problem” Carpiano (2001, p. 442) Thus it is noticeable that people now simply depend on drugs to regulate their bodies to the way they believed society is socially accepted. So, the claim of Illich (1976, p. 69) relating to his work that ‘’too much money will corrupt’’ the medical practitioners which is clearly notice in the case of disease mongering related to ED, while Moynihan also claim that it is simply ‘’medicalising ordinary life’’. Moynihan (2002, p. 886)
The pharmaceutical business use the media to publish such ‘body’ issues, in order to influence and convince people to buy the medications in the benefits of entrepreneurial; because the media is very powerful in convincing individuals using advertisement. In the growth of certain medical market like the Viagra is publish as “blue pill” sayings ‘Deliver in bed’ and they goes on to saying it’s dynamic component supports and revealed blood vessels to rise blood current to the penis, Superdrug(2017). Using such words as caption or sales talk, many men were now involved in paying attention and creating what a ‘perfect man ‘should look like; but this is where the misunderstanding lies. Some argued that ED is merely a sign of psychological disorder Waitzkin (1989), while medical specialists are recommending Viagra without the main investigation (Carpiano, 2001). Even-though, Viagra has been shaped to be used by younger men as a security of sexual activities.
Hence the media portraits using the celebrities to testify that Viagra performs wonders which had expanded worldwide according to evidence 2.9 million medicines were given in the first three months and 3 million men were treated 1.5billion dollars in sales (carpiono,2001). As a result, it has now grown to 200,000 medicines were written weekly and also soled in internet and other outlets which 89.5 million dollars spent and 809 million dollars in the market while 17% increase between 1999-2000 (NIHCM,2001). Though medicine was usually use for people who are really sick in the past, but as the time changes according to illich 1976, work medicine is ‘’tries to engineer the dreams of reason’ ’which medical authority had grow wide investigating on how to treat healthy body in a way the society aspect normality just at it has been used in the issue of Men ED.
by Joy Ogbebor
''Evaluate Illich's (1976) notion of 'medical imperialism' - what is his theory about and to what extent is it accurate today?'' 