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Potendo scegliere tra un vestito a taglia unica e uno su misura, così come ce lo può confezionare un bravo sarto, non avremmo dubbi. La stessa preferenza possiamo trasporla alle cure mediche "sartoriali", ovvero a quelle cure che rispettano il nostro profilo personale e non sono semplicemente uguali per tutti. La chiave che apre la serratura di una medicina personalizzata si chiama narrazione. Perché attraverso la narrazione si comprendono le vicende del corpo, dalla nascita alla morte. Perché attraverso la narrazione si guarisce. Perché attraverso la narrazione ci si cura. Tuttavia, la medicina che "conta" - quella di precisione - non è l'antagonista di quella che si serve come strumento dell'ascolto e della comunicazione. Sono le due facce di un'unica medicina: la sola che la cultura del nostro tempo riconosce come "buona medicina".
“Pseudo-dangers represent further opportunities to avoid problems we do not wish to confront….” – Barry Glassner, The Culture of Fear
Introduction
For a while now, I’ve been concerned about the increasing role that fear has played as a tactic in persuading patients to choose certain treatments in healthcare, and to adopt certain habits. Fear is also, often a dominant driver for patients in their health decision-making process.
Fear, however, is an unwanted distraction when making decisions. In contrast to a calm state of mind, it creates added anxiety and stress, in a citizenry already burdened with increasing stressors. How can adding to this be constructive, or further, even moral? How can healthcare decisions, made from fear, be in any way conducive to optimal health outcomes, or conducive to sustainable well-being throughout our lifespans?
Aims: To assess the impact of alcohol advertising and media exposure on future adolescent alcohol use....
Conclusions: Longitudinal studies consistently suggest that exposure to media and commercial communications on alcohol is associated with the likelihood that adolescents will start to drink alcohol, and with increased drinking amongst baseline drinkers. Based on the strength of this association, the consistency of findings across numerous observational studies, temporality of exposure and drinking behaviours observed, dose-response relationships, as well as the theoretical plausibility regarding the impact of media exposure and commercial communications, we conclude that alcohol advertising and promotion increases the likelihood that adolescents will start to use alcohol, and to drink more if they are already using alcohol.
This Viewpoint discusses issues that prevent wearable medical devices from effectively bridging the gap between recording information and changing health-related behavior.

Several large technology companies including Apple, Google, and Samsung are entering the expanding market of population health with the introduction of wearable devices. This technology, worn in clothing or accessories, is part of a larger movement often referred to as the “quantified self.” The notion is that by recording and reporting information about behaviors such as physical activity or sleep patterns, these devices can educate and motivate individuals toward better habits and better health. The gap between recording information and changing behavior is substantial, however, and while these devices are increasing in popularity, little evidence suggests that they are bridging that gap.