Question 268 of 433
What does “repurposing” mean, and why is it the most promising route?
The short answer
Using a medicine already approved for one condition to prevent the diseases of aging in general. It is promising because the safety of these drugs is known from millions of patients and decades of use.
Developing a new drug takes ten to fifteen years and billions of dollars. A drug already on the shelf has cleared the hardest hurdle. If metformin, or a cholesterol injection, or a weight-loss medicine turns out to delay several diseases at once, we could act on it tomorrow.
The difficulty is proof. A drug that protects a person with diabetes may do nothing for a person without it, and every drug has a cost. The question is never “does it work?” It is “does it work in someone like me?”
“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
RESEARCH STRATEGY — Repurposing can use existing safety knowledge; new populations and indications still require testing.Evidence grade (draft mapping)JClinical judgment / author synthesisPart 19, Q268 · 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.