Scientists have advanced significantly in the research on aging. It is on high time now to try to change knowledge gathered from aging research into medicine so that the aging population can benefit. This is what Jan Vijg, Ph.D, who is the chair of genetics and the Lola and Saul Kramer Chair in Molecular Genetics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University said together with a panel of 10 excellent aging experts.
These experts were assembled by a nonprofit organization, LifeStar Institute. This institute does educate and create awareness of problems associated with global aging. They do also encourage medical research aimed at both preventing and curing aging diseases. This was reported in July 14 issue of the Journal Science Translational Medicine.
The cost of the aging process is highly burdensome. There is medical and social cost that keeps on escalating for elders as they age year by year. The panel recommends that the U.S as well as other countries should start to take anticipatory initiatives that will change laboratory findings into a new form of aging medicine. This could be the sole solution to escape the advent of “a global aging crisis.”
The panel suggested that countries should start using their public health agencies to create awareness related to better lifestyles; encouraging longevity and healthy lives. The panel also stated that it is necessary to develop regenerative medicine and therapies that would restore the function and youthful structure in older people. Regenerative Medicine must have features to neutralize and repair cellular damage that occurs through aging.
Dr. Vijg says that there is a general misunderstanding associated to aging, people believe it is something that cannot be influenced just like the weather. However, what is fascinating is that during the recent 10 years the lifespan of different animals have been influenced; life span has been increased and healthiness as well. Adopting similar testing intervention in humans would be a good idea. It would make economic and medical sense.
Source: Science Daily
Thu, Jul 22, 2010
Anti Aging