Aging is linked to many ailments such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and Alzheimer’s diseases. Cancer is caused by the aging hallmark of genomic instability, and the two are intertwined. While it is true that young people can get cancer, it is a disease that generally affects older people; indeed, beyond 60, the risk of cancer rises greatly.
The World Health Organization in June 2018, released the International Classification of Diseases 11th edition.
Guess what? The published work had ’Old age’ as code MG2A among the diseases. A code that could revolutionize the medicine field. It could turn out to be the most remarkable document in history possibly leading to discovery of medicines made to challenge the global common ailment- ageing. Aging comes with more health problems. Therefore, tackling ageing will help eliminate all other ailments caused by ageing.
Currently ageing is not seen as a legitimate target for healthcare but research is underway in the sector. The American Federal for Aging Research is organizing a huge clinical test to investigate the probability that metformin- a widely used type 2 diabetes treatment, to delay the inception of age-rated conditions such as cardiovascular, Alzheimer, cancer among others.
The research aims at ruling out that, the condition of ageing is a treatable compound of age –related ailments. Contrary to the common belief that ageing is natural, there is no biological law that states that people must age. Indeed, ageing is the most significant risk factor for many diseases.
The ultimate promise of ageing research is not basically extending life span but elimination of the disease itself.
The year 2019 is the year of understanding that ageing can be reversed and not an inevitability.