hershie

Lifespan may reach 150 by 2050
doctor

Mohammed Adam
CanWest News Service

Friday, January 28, 2005

OTTAWA - A genetic revolution sweeping the medical field could increase the average lifespan to 150 years in the next half century, the president of the Ottawa Heart Institute said yesterday.

Dr. Bob Roberts, one of North America's leading heart disease experts and a pioneer of genetic molecular cardiology, said significant advances in science and technology have made what was unthinkable 50 years ago possible.

He pointed out that in 1900, the average lifespan was 36 years. By 2000, it had more than doubled to 80.

And while scientists believed it would take another 100 years for the average lifespan to double again, discoveries made in the Human Genome project have led many to the conclusion that it could happen sooner.

Dr. Roberts said predictions by medical experts that heart disease would be wiped out this century are realistic.

"Medicine and mankind are on the verge of a new era," he said. "The average lifespan in 50 years will be 150 years."

Longevity is a controversial issue, with many scientists arguing human lifespan is finite and can be extended only marginally.

Dr. Douglas Gray, senior scientist at the Ottawa Health Research Institute, said the prospect of people living to 150 in the next 50 years is unlikely.

"In the absence of some breathtaking discovery that's currently inconceivable, a lifespan of 150 is unlikely any time soon," he said.

"If you solve cancer, stroke and cardiovascular disease, that will add only 15 years to human lifespan."

Dr. Gray and other scientists say the body is not like a machine that can keep going forever. At some point, frailty sets in and death is inevitable. They say it is the rare individual who will live to 120.

"People do die of old age. It is hard to see what you can do to reduce frailty, which is inevitable," Dr. Gray said.

Dr. Roberts, who was speaking to a group of Ottawa business and technology executives yesterday about genetics, said the Human Genome project makes the prospects for science and technology limitless.

He said the past 50 years saw unparalleled progress in medicine.

In 1953, he said, Queen Elizabeth sent 60 letters to people more than 100 years old in the British Commonwealth. By 2004, the number had risen to 6,000, thanks largely to medical advances far less significant than what the next 50 years will bring.

And in Canada, centenarians are one of the fastest growing segments of the population. In 1981, there were 2,100 centenarians. By 2001, the number had grown to 3,800.

However Dr. Gray, who has performed experiments on ageing on laboratory mice, insisted it is unreasonable to believe people will live to 150.

He said despite the efforts of the best minds, myriad infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and AIDS continue to wreak havoc on mankind. He also noted modern problems such as obesity are becoming major health concerns.
? National Post 2005

tungsten

interesting

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hershie

This part blew me away:

In 1953, he said, Queen Elizabeth sent 60 letters to people more than 100 years old in the British Commonwealth. By 2004, the number had risen to 6,000, thanks largely to medical advances far less significant than what the next 50 years will bring.

LadyMischief

Awesome article, thanks Hershie! Btw, ltns!

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William-Xfactor

Great i might get to see my football team win a flag yet!

xclusive

I'll live to 200

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wes

wow very interesting. I wonder if this will be.

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xNetworx

First person to hit 150 should win something... like a hooker

Libertine

I wanna reach the noble age of 15000 one day.

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cold_ice

Thats bad news. We need some type of population control we have to many people in this world as it is. Social security bill go bust for sure unless they move the retirement limit to 130. Poeple that get sent to prison for a 100 years might get out of prison one day. Some people will stay married for 120 years. WOw all kinds of shit can go wrong.

hershie

There must be untold amounts of ethical and practical and financial considerations to work through.

TheMob

Hehe, that will be a lot of fun.

Libertine

Here's how it will go: the poor will die, the rich will live.

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Spunky

Too bad I'll be dead and gone by then

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Platinumpimp

150 year right.

Have you seen how these people that are 100+ look like? I don't even wanna be that old AND live ANOTHER suffering 50 years

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split_joel

it would be nice but if that happend the worlds population would increase by so much and it would be a disaster

BloodFart

what the fuck?

Snake Doctor

I wonder where they got the figure that the average life span was 36 in 1900. That seems way way low.

In the 1930's when social security was started the average life span was 65.

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Snake Doctor

Also something most people don't realize is that we aren't living drastically longer lives than we were 30 or 40 years ago.

"Average" life span is exactly that....the overall average.
We've done alot to bring our infant mortality rate down to practically zero in the U.S., that alone has raised the average significantly.
Its not that more people are living to be 100, its that more people are living to be 1.

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Big Red Machine

I always find it funny when people are into vampires or just being immortal.Yet they don't even know what to do on a rainy day,But they want to live forever.

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hershie

In 1953, he said, Queen Elizabeth sent 60 letters to people more than 100 years old in the British Commonwealth. By 2004, the number had risen to 6,000, thanks largely to medical advances far less significant than what the next 50 years will bring.

William-Xfactor

you need to be an Aussie i guess

ADL Colin

Though the average age has dramatically increased the top age has not.

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groark

Now this is what I call great news )