Difficulties in Increasing Life Expectancy

• 15 Oct 2024

Source: IE 

A new study titled "Implausibility of Radical Life Extension in Humans in the Twenty-First Century" reveals that the steady rise in life expectancy driven by medical and technological advancements is now slowing down. 

• About the study:  
  • Researchers examined life expectancy at birth data from 1990 to 2019, focusing on regions with the highest life expectancy, such as Australia, France, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. 
• Key Findings: 
  • The study suggests that the life expectancy in the longest-living regions increased by only 6.5 years between 1990 and 2019. 
    • There is a need for groundbreaking new medicines that can slow the ageing process, rather than simply enhancing treatments for widespread fatal conditions like heart attacks and cancer. 
  • Current estimates indicate that girls have a 5.3% chance, and boys have a 1.8% chance, of reaching 100 years of age in those regions.  
    • However, even if common diseases are eradicated, the decline of organs due to ageing continues to limit significant lifespan extension. 
  • Several drugs are being tested to extend lifespan, including metformin, a low-cost diabetes drug, which has been shown to slow ageing in male monkeys. 

Read more: Human Development Report 2023-24