It is more profitable to treat aging, not senile ailments
Scientific achievements of recent years indicate that slowing down the aging process is quite an achievable goal. However, most scientific research is still devoted to the fight against certain diseases. Using the microsimulation model "Future Elderly Model", experts from several American universities compared the outcomes of two possible scenarios of the situation in terms of their impact on life expectancy, disability and financial costs. Reflecting modern realities, the scenario was called "disease-specific", and the second, hypothetical, was called "delayed aging scenario".
Based on the results obtained, the authors concluded that even moderate progress in studying the possibilities of slowing down the aging process, which reduces the likelihood of developing age-related diseases by 1.25%, will allow an additional 5% of people over the age of 65 to maintain good health and working capacity every year from 2030 to 2060.
The number of able-bodied and disabled Americans of advanced age
under various scenarios, 2010-2060, millions of people
Blue: status quo: - able—bodied; --- disabled
Red: delayed development of heart diseases: — able-bodied; --- disabled
Yellow: delayed development of cancer: — able-bodied; --- disabled
Green: delayed aging: — able-bodied; --- disabled
In other words, by 2060, this will increase the number of healthy people over the age of 65 in the United States by 11.7 million. Unlike the treatment of fatal diseases, slowing down aging will not bring immediate results, but it will achieve a lot in the long run.
On the other hand, the analysis showed that reducing the incidence of cancer by 25% over the next few decades will practically not improve the overall health of society compared with a complete rejection of any action in this direction. This is consistent with the results of an earlier study, according to which a complete victory over cancer will increase the average life expectancy by only three years.
However, the results of the study also showed that increasing the number of practically healthy elderly people will not reduce healthcare costs. Despite the fact that theoretical advances in slowing aging will reduce individual health care costs, the total amount in this sector will increase.
According to one of the authors, Jay Olshansky (S. Jay Olshansky), even small successes in slowing down aging will have a huge impact on people's health and quality of life. This fundamentally new approach to preserving public health is to combat the risk factors underlying the development of all age-related diseases leading to disability and death. To date, we do not know which mechanisms will be effective in slowing down aging. Perhaps this can be achieved in several ways, and now we should determine which ones are worth working on.
Article by D. P. Goldman et al. Substantial Health And Economic Returns From Delayed Aging May Warrant A New Focus For Medical Research published in the journal Health Affairs.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the University of Southern California:
Delayed aging is better investment than cancer, heart disease research.
11.10.2013