by Ralph Broadwater, MD, CFP®, AIF®

One of the most disruptive changes in society is the study of aging and longevity research. There will be a ripple effect in every aspect of society as our health care system changes and people live much longer. Many in this field of longevity research believe that science will have stopped aging in the next 5-10 years, and that within 20 years we will have developed the tools to reverse aging.

If true, it is likely that your children will live to be 150, and healthy.

In 2013 a seminal paper appeared in the journal Cell titled, The Hallmarks of Aging. This paper remains the most cited work in the field of longevity research. In this paper the authors described the nine hallmarks of aging. It provided a framework for understanding the aging process, and outlined the main areas to concentrate research to design solutions to prevent and reverse aging.

Artificial intelligence, analysis of big data, the ability to sequence the human genome (at low cost), nanotechnology, and advances in cloning, stem cell research, and gene therapy have allowed for rapid scientific progress. We are developing a fuller understanding of aging, and developing strategies in humans to slow, delay, and reverse aging.

There are now over 100 companies working on solutions to the longevity problem. Billions of dollars of investment capital have funded these companies. Venture Capital firms have lined up to support this research- they recognize the significant financial opportunities and societal benefits.

In 2019, eighty percent of health care dollars are spent on treatment of chronic and late stage disease, and only twenty percent of health care dollars are spent on prevention and personalized diagnostics. By 2026 it is likely that prevention and personalized diagnostics will amount to 50% of health care expenses.

P3 Medicine

This will create a paradigm shift in health care delivery (and patient expectations) away from managing chronic and end of life diseases to identifying specific patient risks, disease prevention, and tailored treatments for disease. It is called P3 medicine: precision, personalization, and prevention.

There will be a shift from talking about chronological age (how many times you have circled the sun) to physiological age (how old are your cellular processes, and what treatments can be designed to improve these cellular organ functions and your physiological age?) Much of care will be patient driven, not disease driven. Next quarter I will cover this radical change in medical care delivery.

References

Lopez-Otin C, Blasco MA, Partridge L, Serrano M, Kroemer G. The Hallmarks of Aging, Cell, 153:1194-1217, 2013.

http://www.longevity.international/

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE INFORMATION

Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by The Arkansas Financial Group, Inc.-“AFG”), or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this blog will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this blog serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from AFG. Please remember that if you are a AFG client, it remains your responsibility to advise AFG, in writing, if there are any changes in your personal/financial situation or investment objectives for the purpose of reviewing/evaluating/revising our previous recommendations and/or services, or if you would like to impose, add, or to modify any reasonable restrictions to our investment advisory services. To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing. AFG is neither a law firm nor a certified public accounting firm and no portion of the blog content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. A copy of the AFG’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available for review upon request. Please Note: AFG does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by any unaffiliated third party, whether linked to AFG’s web site or blog or incorporated herein, and takes no responsibility for any such content. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly.