title: The biomarket.
abstract: Political analysis can enrich our understanding of the interface between health and society. Here, a theoretical framework called 'the biomarket' is proposed, one that describes the interaction between life, power and the market, and the progressive institutionalisation of this dynamic by state actors. This framework expands upon 'biopower', a social concept developed by Michel Foucault. The role of the biomarket is illustrated by analysis of a range of cases, namely the relationships between global health and the pharmaceutical and tobacco industries. The potential adverse consequences of the biomarket are demonstrated, revealing how in some instances, important social measures of welfare are discarded for the sake of economic efficiency and profit. The authors conclude that the biomarket may serve to deepen our understanding of the authority and control exerted by corporations over life, positing that the biomarket must be further regulated for sustainable advances in global health.
authors: Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA. maruthappu@post.harvard.edu
authors: Mahiben
authors: M
authors: Maruthappu
authors: Callum
authors: C
authors: Williams
mesh_terms: D004345:Drug Industry / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D004465:Economic Competition; D005381:Financing, Organized / Q000379:methods; D005582:Foundations / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D040541:Marketing / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011057:Politics; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012109:Research Support as Topic / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000191:economics*; D019460:Tobacco Industry / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards