The dominant paradigm of the concept of health today is bio-technological, based on deterministic mechanism and linear causality of phenomena. This does not correspond to the interactionist progress of basic sciences, to the revolution of the theory of Allostasis in physiology nor to the now obsolete concept of health defined by the WHO, as psychophysical well-being, replaced by the paradigm of Person-centered health that arises from the epistemological revolution of Medicine made by Person-centered Medicine.
The mechanistic paradigm today is a danger for the population of the world, and in particular in some age groups such as children, adolescents and the elderly and in general in medical therapy unless there is a biological-clinical emergency that threatens survival.
In October, the Ambrosiana University, with the Italian Society of Adolescentology and Adolescent Medicine and the World Federation and Society of Adolescentology, are organizing the Congress: "Person-centered health and the resilient adolescent" to further affirm the paradigm shift that leads to valorizing the protective factors for the health of the adolescent, today still fragmented and closed in problems in different application fields, to his detriment.
We invite those who are interested in contributing to this epochal change to participate : www.healthparadigmchange.it
An interesting notion. While I agree that health is far more complex than traditional mechanistic models suggest, I'm wondering how we best balance person-centred approaches with the undeniable successes of biotechnological interventions, especially in acute care. How do you envision a framework that respects both?
Health from an epistemological point of view is a relative concept of interactionist and teleonomic nature, and therefore multidimensional, in light of the scientific progress of the last fifty years.
Subjective variables, the quality of the person, not empirical, physical and interpersonal environmental variables, biological variables interact.
The concept of health today is indeterministic. A solely bio-technological approach to disease is wrong today and can cause harm to the patient who is considered an object of bio-technology and not a determining constructor of his well-being.
Person-centered medicine and bio-technology, a necessary tool for diagnosis and biological therapy, must coexist. But the second alone is not sufficient today for the clinic and the study of pathogenesis.
You can read my publications on the subject in Research-gate
On October 24, 2025 in Assisi there will be an important conference on the theme: " Person-centred health and the resilient adolescent"
Thanks for contributing to the discussion
Giuseppe R.Brera