From Bloodletting to Biotech: The Science and Struggles Behind Our Longer Lives

Medicine’s history is a tale of hope, harm, and ultimately healing. For centuries, treatments like bloodletting were standard despite often worsening patient outcomes. Even as industrialization brought new dangers, such as traffic accidents, science began to reveal how to protect the human body.

Rocket sled experiments measured human tolerance to forces, guiding the invention of seat belts. Yet, adoption faced resistance until consumer advocates and legislation prevailed. This intersection of science, activism, and policy exemplifies how progress is achieved.

The evolution of drug regulation followed a similar path. Early medicines were often untested and harmful until tragedies like the thalidomide disaster prompted strict oversight. Randomized controlled trials became the gold standard, separating real effects from the placebo phenomenon.

Today, biotechnology offers new frontiers. Gene editing, immunotherapy, and personalized medicine promise to extend healthy lifespan but raise complex ethical questions. The story of medicine is ongoing, a dynamic interplay of knowledge, society, and values.

References: This narrative draws on Steven Johnson’s Extra Life and contemporary medical histories and research. 1 3 4