On December 9, 2016, the blog of the American Medical Association, AMA Wire, spotlighted AFAR Deputy Scientific Director and multiple grantee Nir Barzilai, MD in the piece “Treat Aging, Not Disease.”
Inspired by Dr. Barzilai’s recent presentation at the 2016 TEDMED conference, the article highlights his Centenarian study and TAME (Targeting Aging with Metformin) Trial. Dr Barzilai lends insights into the relationship between the processes of aging and other major diseases and the momentum to move research toward the translational stage.
Dr. Barzilai also addresses the socioeconomic benefits of biomedical research to extend our years of health as we grow older, or the longevity dividend. He notes:
“My colleagues have shown that even a modest increase in health span, like over two years, will result in $7 trillion in savings by the year 2050…If we do that, we can really ask ourselves, ‘What if?’ What if, instead of taking care of our parents, our parents are going to take care of [our] children and our grandchildren? … This is not science fiction, it’s science now.”
Read the entire article here.
Learn more about the biological processes of aging, related diseases, and healthy lifestyle tips in AFAR’s InfoAging resource here.
