THE MEDICALIZATION OF THE HUMAN CONDITION: ETHICAL, EXISTENCIAL AND SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS

Larissa Maciel Lima; Júlia Feitosa Araújo De Carvalho

Todos os Trabalhos

Trabalho

DOI

10.29327/9786527226840.1512276

Título do Trabalho

THE MEDICALIZATION OF THE HUMAN CONDITION: ETHICAL, EXISTENCIAL AND SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS

Autores

Larissa Maciel Lima
Júlia Feitosa Araújo De Carvalho

Modalidade

Resumo

Área temática

Bioética

Data de Publicação

21/08/2026

País da Publicação

Brasil

Idioma da Publicação

pt-BR

Página do Trabalho

https://www.even3.com.br/anais/xxvii-fiamc-world-congress-for-catholic-physicians-abstract-session-688844/1512276-the-medicalization-of-the-human-condition--ethical-existencial-and-spiritual-implications

ISBN

978-65-272-2684-0

Palavras-Chave

“medicalization,” “bioethics,” and “spirituality.”

Resumo

INTRODUCTION: The expansion of modern medicine has progressively extended its scope beyond disease, redefining fundamental aspects of the human condition—such as suffering, aging, and emotional distress—as medical problems. This process, known as medicalization, reflects a shift in which normal human experiences are increasingly interpreted through biomedical frameworks. Recent literature highlights that such expansion may obscure the existential and spiritual dimensions of human life, reducing vulnerability and finitude to clinical entities. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the medicalization of the human condition and its ethical, existential, and spiritual implications, emphasizing its impact on contemporary bioethical discourse. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted using PubMed and related databases, focusing on publications from 2020–2025. Keywords included “medicalization,” “bioethics,” and “spirituality.” Inclusion criteria comprised peer-reviewed articles addressing conceptual, ethical, or interdisciplinary perspectives. Studies were selected based on relevance, recency, and contribution to theoretical and clinical understanding. RESULTS: Recent evidence demonstrates that medicalization extends into emotional life and social experience, often promoting pharmacological or technical responses to inherently human conditions. This shift is associated with increased dependence on medical systems and potential erosion of personal autonomy. Simultaneously, emerging research emphasizes spirituality as a neglected yet essential dimension of health, linked to meaning, resilience, and well-being. The integration of spirituality into bioethics has gained relevance, with studies indicating its importance in both patient care and ethical reflection. Contemporary discussions also reveal tension between biomedical reductionism and broader anthropological perspectives that recognize the human being as inherently vulnerable, relational, and transcendent. CONCLUSION: The medicalization of the human condition, while advancing clinical care, risks narrowing the understanding of human existence to biological parameters. A comprehensive bioethical framework must therefore integrate existential and spiritual dimensions, preserving human dignity and meaning beyond disease. Rebalancing medicine requires not less science, but a deeper recognition of the human person as more than a clinical subject.

Título do Evento: XXVII FIAMC World Congress for Catholic Physicians - ABSTRACT SESSION
Cidade do Evento: Brasília
Título dos Anais do Evento: Proceedings of the XXVII FIAMC World Congress of Catholic Physicians and VI Brazilian Congress of Catholic Physicians
Nome da Editora: Even3
Meio de Divulgação: Meio Digital
DOI

Como citar

LIMA, Larissa Maciel; CARVALHO, Júlia Feitosa Araújo De. THE MEDICALIZATION OF THE HUMAN CONDITION: ETHICAL, EXISTENCIAL AND SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS.. In: Proceedings of the XXVII FIAMC World Congress of Catholic Physicians and VI Brazilian Congress of Catholic Physicians. Anais...Brasília(DF) Casa Dom Luciano, 2026. Disponível em: https//www.even3.com.br/anais/xxvii-fiamc-world-congress-for-catholic-physicians-abstract-session-688844/1512276-THE-MEDICALIZATION-OF-THE-HUMAN-CONDITION--ETHICAL-EXISTENCIAL-AND-SPIRITUAL-IMPLICATIONS. Acesso em: 11/09/2026