An elderly woman. Photo: Unsplash.com
The rapid development of technology and biomedicine may soon make possible drugs that significantly extend human life.
There are also downsides to this, as this could lead to severe social inequality where only billionaires and other rich people can enjoy life extension. They can become “arrogant elite zombies” who become a burden to others, experts warn Daily Starin by.
Founder of Amazon Jeff Bezosthe founder of PayPal Peter Thiel and developer of ChatGPT Sam Altman are just a few of the technology leaders who are investing huge sums in regenerative medicine and anti-aging innovations. The goal is to develop medicines and technologies that prevent diseases and keep the body’s cells younger for longer.
Regenerative medicine means the use of genes, cells and tissues to treat dysfunctions or recreate parts of the human body.
Are Billionaires Playing God?
Founder of SmartWater Group Phil Cleary criticizes the efforts of billionaires to control death and warns of their consequences.
“Silicon Valley’s pursuit of the fountain of youth is a fear- and ego-driven folly that is causing enormous humanitarian suffering,” Cleary says.
He sees the projects as unfair and believes they only benefit the rich who can pay huge sums to extend life. At the same time, the world’s five million children dying of hunger and preventable causes are left without the necessary help.
“Before we focus on extending the lives of the rich, we should first save the children whose lives end before adulthood,” he insists.
Researchers on different lines
There is disagreement in the scientific community about the mechanisms of aging. Some researchers believe that aging is related to unstable compounds produced by mitochondria that damage cells. Others see the problem as old, dysfunctional cells that do not leave the body. Despite these, research is progressing quickly. For example, in July, researchers from Imperial College London and Duke-NUS Medical School reported that they had developed a drug that extended the lifespan of mice by 25 percent.
Several billionaires have already invested billions in biotech startups that aim to extend human life. For example, Jeff Bezos has invested about 2.4 billion pounds in Altos Labs, and Peter Thiel supports the Methuselah Foundation, which aims to turn 90-year-olds into the new 50-somethings.
Extending life only for the few
Although life-extending drugs could bring hope to things like cancer or other deadly diseases, Cleary warns that their high cost would exclude most of humanity.
“Why would we extend the lives of the rich when we could first help children live even into adulthood?” Cleary asks.
Source: Daily Star
Source: hymy.fi
