Not too long ago, I shared with a group of folks my conviction that it is only a matter of time until doctors are able to cure the ultimate disease of them all, aging. Given the advances in medicine, which are accelerating exponentially, that cure could well be a reality by mid-century, and if not then it will still be only a matter of time until at least some humans (those with money) will no longer die "naturally". They laughed. The reaction was more-or-less, "silly boy." In the face of the ridicule, all I could say is that they weren't paying attention to things going on around them and leave it at that.So, now comes a news posting on the BBC's website entitled "Signs of ageing halted in the lab," which reports on research done at the Mayo Clinic that halted signs of aging in lab mice by flushing out dead cells ("senescent cells") that normally accrue over time in the body. Using this technique, the researchers were able to significantly reduce several effects of aging including wrinkling of the skin, cataracts, and deterioration in muscle tissue. The New York Times website reports the same research findings in an article entitled, Purging Cells in Mice Is Found to Combat Aging Ills." Both postings draw on an article just published in Nature entitled "Clearance of p16Ink4a-positive senescent cells delays ageing-associated disorders." (The link is to the abstract for the article). The BBC posting cautions that these findings are preliminary, need much more research, and it is not clear when and how they will be applied to humans. The New York Times article contains a statement from a researcher that debunks the idea that this research will lead to extended life spans. The goal is to improve the quality of our lives as we age. What is clear, however, is that this research opens another avenue or strategy that could well contribute to the curing aging. It also raises the inevitable question that if we are able to cure the various effects of aging does that not mean that we are likely to live longer too? More generally, these articles are yet another hint to the fact that medicine is closing in on a cure for aging and that it is now only a matter of time until the cure is achieved—for those who can afford it. (For another 'hint" see my April posting entitled, "Dueling Visions.")
Will we be ready for this? Will we be ready to deal with the fact that medical science is evolving so rapidly that some people living today could be (probably will be) cured of aging? Will we be prepared for the inevitable social dislocation when it becomes apparent that only those who can afford the cure will get it? No, I don't think so. But, I've been known to be wrong before. Time will tell.
