6 replies to this topic

[Link]

Ok, i want to preface this by saying that i know there are already medical practitioners out there who classify themselves as "anti-aging" doctors. Generally however, these doctors are fairly limited in the treatmeant they can really provide to people. It's mostly things like diet, excercise programs, supplements and hormone replacement. These are treatments designed to provide a conservative slowing down of general aging.

What i'm talking about is when new and complex treatments arrive as i believe we are on the verge of seeing, that will be able to combat senescence in in a serious way, that will require skilled medical professionals, will people who do not have an acute disease, such as alzhiemers, be able to get access to treatment without a physician who is radically open minded about using preventative medicine to treat aging?

It seems as though the medical community has a mantra that people do not get treated unless they have a serious disease.

I'll give you an example, the year is 2040, many of the secrets to growing tissues with stem cells have been unlocked and treatments for alzheimers, spinal cord injury etc have been approved. In addition, gene therapy helps treat a number of genetic diseases.

A 70 year old man walks into his doctors office and says "I want to do everything i can to reverse my physical age, i've read about this new stem cell therapy that can regenerate the brain of stroke patients, i want that. I've also read about removing senescent cells.. I would also like some gene therapy to reverse my atrophied muscles. I'm happy to pay the cost." (I imagine immortalists as fairly well educated on available technologies)

The doctor performs a complete physical, the man is in relatively good shape for his age and says "I'm sorry but there's nothing wrong with you."

Do you think it's likely that people who are aging, but relatively healthy, will be able to access the same technologies, and have enlightened doctors who are able to perform advanced procedures, in the way that those who are suffering "recognised" illnesses are? Do you see a new type of clinic emerging where people are able to go and have advanced anti-aging procedures, despite being in good health for their age?

[hivemind]

Do you think it's likely that people who are aging, but relatively healthy, will be able to access the same technologies, and have enlightened doctors who are able to perform advanced procedures, in the way that those who are suffering "recognised" illnesses are?

Of course they are, if they have the money.

[mpe]

Do you think it's likely that people who are aging, but relatively healthy, will be able to access the same technologies, and have enlightened doctors who are able to perform advanced procedures, in the way that those who are suffering "recognised" illnesses are? Do you see a new type of clinic emerging where people are able to go and have advanced anti-aging procedures, despite being in good health for their age?

Yes but not in the USA, Mexico probably and staffed with American and Mexican doctors.
But not in the USA.

Or Australia for that matter, still I go in for Stem Cell therapy on my Left knee next Thursday at Royal North Shore Hospital. So maybe there is hope for Australia.

Edited by mpe, 08 December 2011 - 05:54 AM.

[Mind]

It will be a gradual transition. People who want to age reversing treatments will get them on "the black market" or semi black market of medical tourism. Once it is shown that these treatments are beneficial, they will slowly filter out to the general population and into the minds of open-minded doctors. It won't be as fast as I would like, but it will happen (barring any world-wide apocalypse)

[Brainbox]

What is sometimes forgotten in these kind of discussions is that the synergy between medical treatment as we receive now in hospitals and LE treatment is prevention. So yes, we need a new type of doctor but moreover a paradigm shift in the medical profession itself.

We need to develop a business model for applying preventive maintenance that is able to proof that this approach does result in cost reduction.

The scenario depicted by mind however is more likely to happen since current main stream medical profession is to conservative to be able to transform from a reactive to a proactive approach quickly.

[mpe]

Mind, it's really not about the doctors, it's about the FDA and big Pharma.

Th current system in the USA is a gold mine to big Pharma and they will fight with every lobbying dollar, corrupt politician and FDA official to keep it that way. Once regenerative medicine is introduced in countries other than the USA, who in their right minds would pay the hundreds of millions of dollars and jump through all the regulatory hoops the FDA puts in the way of any new treatment ? Nobody.

It's true that the American population isn't stupid, but they are the victims of a corrupt system, once they see that you can travel to another country and have treatments unavailable at home, treatments that really work and don't just mask symptoms of disease they will travel to get those treatments. The local medical establishment will denounce the " Third World " medical care as they see their client base slipping away, some health funds may even pay for these " Medical Holidays " as they see the benefits of effective and cheaper therapies that save them tens of millions of dollars every year. The corrupt politicians would quickly move to outlaw such overseas payments, simply because it undermines the vested interests of the current system, but people will continue to go, a trickle will become a flood and only at that time will the system be changed, not out of concern for the welfare of the American Population, but because Big Pharmas gold mine will have run out and their influence with the politicians and FDA will finally wane.

Unfortunately, their will no trickle down of regenerative medicine in the USA it will be all or nothing. The wealthy and upper middle class will be able to afford to travel and get their treatments, they and the countries they travel to will benefit but those on average to below average incomes will not benefit at least not for several decades.

[niner]

I mostly agree with Mind, although I think that once a regenerative treatment is shown to work well, the demand for it will be huge, and the availability will be ramped up pretty quickly. If hundreds of thousands of people are pestering their congressman, some change could happen. All it would take is enough people who say "change the law or we'll elect someone who will", and the Super Pac money won't really matter, since it's all about getting the guy reelected. Rather than fight it, Big Pharma will attempt to profit off of it. These would be my expectations for very impressive treatments. If the treatments are evolutionary rather than revolutionary, then yeah, it will probably take a long time.