Question 24 of 433
What is “longevity escape velocity,” and should I plan on it?
The short answer
It is the idea that science will soon add more than one year of life expectancy for every year that passes, so that if you survive long enough, you can keep ahead of aging indefinitely. It is a hope, not a forecast you can plan around.
Diamandis and the futurist Ray Kurzweil suggest this could arrive within ten to twenty years. Many scientists who study aging say there is no evidence for it. Life expectancy in wealthy countries is currently rising slowly, and in some places it has stalled.
What I take from the idea is the useful half: stay healthy enough now to benefit from whatever does arrive. I call this the bridge. The shorter version: remain a candidate. You cannot receive the treatments of 2040 if a preventable heart attack takes you in 2031.
“This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship.” From the book’s medical disclaimer. Full disclaimer
SPECULATION — No clinical evidence establishes a date for longevity escape velocity.Evidence grade (draft mapping)JClinical judgment / author synthesisPart 2, Q24 · Part sources
From Longevity Unmasked by Afshine Ash Emrani, MD, FACC. Medical disclaimer. This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship. Nothing here is meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Medicine is personal: a test, drug, supplement, or exercise plan that helps one person can harm another. Do not start, stop, or change any medication or treatment because of something you read in these pages. Talk with a licensed clinician who knows your history first. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911. The author disclaims responsibility for any loss or harm arising from use of the information in this book.