Balancing Asclepius and Hygeia: A personal reflection on health literacy and the “addictionogenic” modern world

Abstract

Asclepius and Hygeia were two ancient Greek gods of health who inspired contrasting activities — medical intervention in disease and disorder for the former, prevention and health promotion for the latter. Modern Western Medicine is dominated by an Asclepian approach, which I was immersed in for much of my career in addiction medicine. However, soon after turning 50 and realising more clearly that the rising wave of addictive disorders in our communities was not going to be solved through treating individuals, I became involved in a project advocating for stronger regulation of alcohol with a group of colleagues. One outcome of this work was a successful defamation case yielding an extraordinary admission that “addictionogenic” businesses work sneakily behind the scenes to denigrate public health advocates who threaten their profit. Not only is stronger regulation of these businesses necessary to reduce harm, but we are now also in urgent need of even broader change in our economics and way of life to avoid the worst of environmental destruction. A better balance of Asclepian and Hygeian values will enhance the place of Medicine in bringing about a better world for all.