The Social Phenomenon 'Biomed' as Patient Choice: Based on an Empirical Study of a Local Patient Community of Parents of Children with ASD

Abstract

This study examines the social phenomenon of ‘biomed’ as an alternative patient choice. The term ‘biomed’ originated as slang in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) communities, and refers to a set of personalized therapeutic approaches that differ from the standards of conventional medicine. The article focuses on ethical issues and features of interaction between doctors and parents that contribute to the emergence of the 'biomed' phenomenon. The theoretical basis of the research is based on the concept of structural functionalism by Talcott Parsons, which views the patient in the Western model of biomedicine as a passive agent of medical decisions. Under conditions of medical pluralism and wide access to scientific information, parents are becoming more autonomous and active participants in treatment. The article examines how representatives of the patient community seek to reassert their social role by becoming more involved in the treatment process. Models of patient decision-­making are considered through the prism of the theory of 'medical choice,' based on the analysis of patients’ personal experience and cultural knowledge. The research methodology includes the analysis of field data collected through a questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews with the members of the Obodzinyata community. The results demonstrate a high level of consolidation among parents, their desire for a deeper understanding of treatment, and an increase in their autonomy. Biomed manifests itself as an independent social phenomenon characterized by a holistic view of health and a commitment to experimental treatment methods that have not passed full clinical trials (Ministry of Health 2020). The combination of rational thinking and emotional experience leads to the emergence of new forms of patient pragmatism, which occupy a unique place between evidence-­based and alternative medicine. Biomed adherents are characterized by their hope for scientific progress and their desire to go beyond the strict standards of conventional medicine, giving the biomed phenomenon a countercultural character.