Capitalizing on Aging Anxieties: Promissory Discourse and the Creation of an Anti-Aging Treatment Market
March 2018
in “
Journal of Sociology
”
TLDR The anti-ageing treatment market is growing by exploiting fears of ageing with unproven promises, which could harm public trust and genuine science.
The document from six years ago critiques the expansion of the anti-ageing treatment (AAT) market, which has grown by exploiting ageing anxieties, particularly among affluent baby boomers. It examines the promissory discourse that promises to prevent, delay, reverse, or mask ageing effects, often without clinical proof of efficacy. The AAT market is said to be shaped by neoliberal policies, the internet, and social media, which allow for rapid market entry of treatments and spread of unverified claims. The paper highlights the use of autologous stem cell therapies as an example of treatments sold on future promises rather than proven results. The author warns that while promissory discourse may drive short-term market growth, it is likely unsustainable and could damage public trust in science and regulatory bodies. The implications of this market's growth and its reliance on promissory narratives are critiqued for reinforcing ageism, commodifying ageing, and potentially harming genuine scientific research. The research was supported by the Australian Research Council via a Discovery Project.
