Department of Social Studies of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
Sociol Health Illn. 2010 Feb 1;32(2):197-210. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9566.2009.01212.x. Epub 2009 Dec 9.
The rise of anti-ageing medicine is emblematic of the current conditions of American biomedicine. Through in-depth interviews with 31 anti-ageing practitioners, we examine how practitioners strive for-and justify-a model of care that runs counter to what they see as the 'assembly line' insurance-managed industry of healthcare. Their motivation, however, is not merely a reaction to conventional medicine. It is derived from what they see as a set of core beliefs about the role of the physician, the nature of the physician-patient relationship, and the function of biomedicine. We analyse this ideology to underscore how anti-ageing medicine is built on a 'technology of the self', a self in need of constant surveillance, intervention, and maintenance. The ultimate goal is to create an optimal self, not just a self free of illness. A fundamental irony is that, despite their self-presentation and the perception of the public, anti-ageing providers do not use practices that are especially 'high-tech' or unconventional. Instead, the management of ageing bodies rests on providers' perceived knowledge of their patients, tailored treatments, and a collaborative pact between the provider and patient.
抗衰医学的兴起是美国生物医学现状的一个象征。通过对 31 名抗衰从业者的深入访谈，我们研究了从业者如何努力争取并证明一种与他们认为的“流水线”保险管理型医疗保健行业背道而驰的护理模式是合理的。然而，他们的动机不仅仅是对传统医学的反应。它源自于他们认为的关于医生角色、医患关系性质和生物医学功能的一系列核心信念。我们分析这种意识形态，以强调抗衰医学是建立在“自我技术”之上的，这种自我需要不断的监控、干预和维护。最终目标是创造一个最佳的自我，而不仅仅是一个没有疾病的自我。一个根本的讽刺是，尽管他们自我表现和公众的看法，抗衰提供者并不使用特别“高科技”或非常规的做法。相反，衰老身体的管理依赖于提供者对患者的感知知识、量身定制的治疗方法以及提供者和患者之间的合作协议。
