Jan 28, 2026
3 min read
From healthtech developers to influencers, our health is being monetized and we need to be aware of what's happening, says Deborah Cohen.
It's no secret that money shapes our health.From pharmaceutical advertisements to research agendas, money has always been a part of medicine.What is new is the scale, speed and proximity of it all.Waves of new players are influencing our daily health choices, often stepping into the cracks left by overburdened health systems.And as this happens, our health improves.
For most of the last century, doctors had limited medicine information.That is changing quickly.A system of connectivity is emerging, supported by consumer health.Wherever there is a gap - in access to care, solutions or security - commercial players jump in. New medical technology, new businesses, research, online clinics, developers - they all compete for power, and find ways to make money.
It seems there is now a solution for every ailment and a product for every desire.Fitness trackers complement our steps and sleep.Meditation apps bundle calm for a monthly fee.More and more, our biology is turning into a metric - not always related to better health in highly competitive markets.We monitor biomarkers to see if they help change.Genetic tests and personalized diet plans promise a "new, better you," while evidence often follows the hype.
Along the way, our symptoms, traumas, and treatments—and even the blurred line between unhealthy and common ailments—become commodified.You see it all: podcast hosts pitch treatments while ignoring conflicts of interest;influencers who monetize their diagnoses;relationships transformed into memes and commodities;doctors masquerading as rebels taking on a broken system while selling treatments or tests.
Much of this change is happening online, where claims and ads are hard to control.Health advice now lives on a platform built for entertainment, driven by opaque algorithms.More and more people are turning to TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook for guidance and support.
This mash-up of pharma, tech, diagnostics and supplement brands has a name: the wellness-industrial complex.This fuels the rise of what I call the commodified self.
And it's not just about personal choice.As social platforms shape the way we talk about disease, they can shape clinicians' expectations, research agendas and how people think healthcare should be delivered.We are essentially living through a global public health experiment.
But this process is also a response to real flaws.People have time,AcknowledgmentAlternative players are successful because they want a connection with the agency.They seek voices that validate their experiences and provide reassurance, especially when they feel rushed or unavailable from the support of the formal system.Simply calling out misinformation online won't stop it from spreading, and it can alienate you.
When people struggle to find timed tests or clear details, confidential tests and follow-up monitoring provide a sense of visibility and control.When conventional medicine appears to be stable or effective, improvement strategies are involved.
So the question is for health systems that he does not change, but how.They need to live due to evidence, safety and balance, it's more easily income and holds a living.Or, they are in trouble losing not only the marketplace, but the right power: the right authority to explain the best care.
To understand health now, we need to understand the commercial mechanisms and platform designs that shape it.What hits our neutral screens is industry-curated content with unprecedented access to our bodies, data and wallets, and ever-increasing influence on whether we see ourselves right or wrong.
Deborah Cohen is the author of Bad Influence: How the Internet Has Taken Over Our Health
