[Towards a philosophy of medication].
Medicine and philosophy: where do these concepts intersect? From a biopolitical standpoint, the scope of this essay is to highlight the existence of new challenges for those who deal with the issue of pharmaceuticalization in contemporary society. The analyses revealed that essentially technical approaches are insufficient to confront issues such as: the exorbitant profits from the sale of medication; the disproportionate ratio of these amounts with the number of new innovative molecules; and the difficulty of access to the few new drugs. It would seem to be the opportune moment for adopting a more critical stance for drafting a philosophy of medication in the field of public health with the establishment of areas of resistance to the omnipresent pharmacotherapeutic onslaught. After all, medication is not a constitutive element that is isolated from human life; although, it has become a central component in the management of contemporary life, its adequate use requires the exercise of in-depth introspection.
Faculdade de Farmácia, Odontologia e Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, BR, cleberd@ufc.br.
Cléber Domingos Cunha
CD
da Silva
D006801:Humans; D019369:Life; D010684:Philosophy; D011634:Public Health