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4.27.01

Fear Sells

Americans are more afraid for their health than at any time in the past. And they are more aware of and searching more intensely for answers to questions of health, fitness and wellness than ever before. Oddly enough, their health is better than any people in the history of the human race. Scientists know more about the mechanisms of health and treatment today than at any time in history. On the other hand, alternatives to this incredibly successful health machine have been growing in popularity for decades.

What's happening?

It seems that fear sells better now than ever. Odd given that we as a race are better educated than ever before. What's happening, I suspect, is that the business of fear, health fears specifically, is doing better than ever, also. After all, this is the millennium of marketing with a ancient tradition of selling snake oil to itself. Couple this trend with the fact that the news business is, well, a business and you have an economic engine pumping out food for fear on a continuous basis. Besides, nutraceutical and herbs are cheaper than patented pharmaceuticals. And unregulated. The latter due to a the seduction of a congressman by a herbalist, apparently. Why do you think the nutraceutical industry does not have to prove it's claims of improving cancers, Alzheimer's, bad backs and even eternal life?

It's Personal

There's another, more painful side, too. As we become better at protecting ourselves from the threats of ill health on all fronts, the failures of science and medicine stand out in even more stark contrast. Death by disease of our loved ones seem crueler than ever, given that so many seemed be saved these days. When it's personal, it's unbearable given that most of us now believe that answers will exist to all disease, someday. This, I suspect, has lead many to search in odd places for answers. Herbal remedies, nutraceutical, new age medicines and even more dubious corners of the curative world. Pseudo science has long been a traveling partner of pain and religion.

Overactive Intelligence

I know a couple, young and well educated, who live in fear of oxidants. And their evil offspring, free radicals. These are the electron-accepting molecules in chemical reactions in which electrons are transferred from one molecule to another. Apparently, large numbers of life extension acolytes believe that preventing oxidative damage is the key to not only many diseases but to the significant extension of one's life span. This may be true. Not complete. Just true. My acquaintances both have PhDs, in computer science and physics. He has been in upper management since his thirties, a tribute to his technical acumen and vision. She is raising two extra-bright, extraordinarily healthy children. They read voraciously, mostly science, mostly about life extension. They are consumed with a fear of not living significantly longer than their ancestors.

Future Forecasts

This isn't unusual. America's trend-mistress, Faith Popcorn, has labeled these types of behavior "Atmosfear" and "Being Alive". The former is the incessant worry about the health, both the environment's and our own. The latter is intense interest in and focus on personal health improvement. According to a Los Angeles Times interview, Popcorn is advising companies to play to the fears. For example, she tells food companies to list the ingredients on all of their products in order to reduce consumption fears.

Battelle Institute, the conservative technical development center, is predicting the health concerns business will be a major growth arena in the coming decades. They believe products that deal with these fears will be opportunities to meet large consumer wants, if not needs. Air filtering to kill bacteria, viruses, spores as well as anti-allergen and anti-bacterial surfaces will flourish according to their recent forecasts.

It's Here and Now

Nowhere has recent business opportunities been greater than in the $20+ billion dollar nutraceutical business. Encompassing dietary supplements, medicinal herbs and some functional foods, it's the legal and may be the heir apparent of traditional psuedo-medical product marketing. Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994, they are neither regulated by the FDA nor is the veracity of their claims. Those claims may be based on scientific studies, often "in Europe", that indicate benefit.

The Corporate Players

"The Life Extension Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization whose goal is to conquer the aging process within the next 25 years." It's board of directors are all PhDs or MDs it seems and it claims credit for the discovery of the heart attach prevention qualities of aspirin and the original work done on anti-oxidants and states that it maintains "the most advanced anti-ischemia (insufficient oxygenating blood flow) laboratory in the world". It also sells dietary supplements. This kind of corporation has been flourishing in the US for decades. And they are in a growth industry.

Visit one of their sites and see that most of it is dedicated to recruiting new sales 'associates', not discussing their science. Or it's direct benefits, for that matter. Notice that a minor "improving oxygen to the brain" finding in some obscure medical study turns into a suggest that the nutraceutical can be applied to everything from Alzheimer's to thyroid problems. Results, other than anecdotal, are typically immeasurable for these. If anyone makes the attempt.

How much truth under this trend?

Well, think about it, people are healthier than in any time in recorded history. And we continue to get better. We live longer, we eat better, disease is being beaten back everywhere you look. Stephen Moore, in his stunning compilation of health statistics called "It's Getting Better All The Time" points out that by actually measure, the working of the human body is being understood, with the mapping of the human genome, many genetic diseases will be eliminated. For those with failing organs, hope in the form of cloned human parts will become available. Computers will increasingly assist in health maintenance, reducing costs and improving quality. Precision drug deliver will allow for more precise disease targeting. It goes on and on.

Future Food

Forecasters in the food business are predicting the combination of drugs and food products in the form of "foodaceuticals" (also called "medical foods" by the nutraceutical folks) the concept of grocery shopping a whole new meaning. Simultaneously on the leading edge of wonder drugs and 21st century scares, bio-engineered "genetaceuticals" have begun to dominate the dietary supplement business, pushing out our ancient fascination with vitamins.

The Marketing Millennium