Longevity science may be a growing field, but there’s still a perception that it’s a playground for rich people or even just the feat of a sci-fi writer’s imagination – and that’s if you’re aware of it at all. There’s still a long way to go before the average person on the street can have access to the most high-tech and innovative therapies, and a key concern for leaders in the field is how to expand access (https://longevity.technology/news/how-longevity-will-arrive-for-everyone/).
Healthcare in the United States is generally aimed at treating diseases after they occur. We look at sick people, diagnose them, then give them a designated medicine. It’s less about optimizing your quality of life in the long term than it is dealing with the immediate problem. In contrast, longevity medicine considers how what you do now could impact you for decades to come.
Some aspects of longevity medicine will be familiar to the average person. Eat a balanced diet. Exercise more. Make sure you get enough sleep. Most of us can at least attempt these lifestyle changes, but not many can afford to travel to those most exclusive longevity clinics to get the latest AI-powered device or try a new, experimental drug. And the companies developing these treatments know that, so often they target their products at the rich without necessarily thinking about you.
Education and demystification are vital. This goes for students learning how to practice medicine, who need to be aware of the benefits of longevity’s proactive approach rather than only confining themselves to more traditional models, and it goes for patients, who need to be better informed if they want to advocate for themselves. Institutions, journals, the media and the government all have a role to play here.
There also needs to be more standardization. A lot of longevity science and related healthcare is still fairly experimental, which makes it harder to trust and means accessibility can vary wildly for different populations. When proper frameworks are established and protocols are enacted, you’ll hopefully find the same standards wherever you go. This will improve understanding and quality of service.
Finally, the more we enact these protocols, the greater the economic benefits. Once we have solid proof that preventative healthcare and the long-term approach can save money, people, companies and systems will be a lot more open to adopting longevity principles.
