Anti-ageing Medicine: Myths and Chances

Abstract

The XXIst century technological development is revolutionizing medicine and health care bringing new hopes to human suffering by offering cures and treatments which were unthinkable a few decades ago. This is where anti-ageing medicine finds its niche. Anti-ageing medicine aims at slowing, arresting, and reversing phenomena associated with ageing by merging biotechnological innovation and engineered solutions. Ideally, through the newest medical technology, the ‘body machinery' should be kept fit and at peak performance all life long. Early detection of age-related dysfunction should thus be ‘fi xed' at any age through interventions such as metabolic fi ne tuning, enhancement, regeneration, restoration or replacement of ‘body parts' (i.e. organs, skin, bone or muscle). It covers a vast array of domains: from cell therapy to pharmaceutical interventions, from bio-surgery to aesthetic surgery, from human enhancement to fortified food, from smart housing and robots to toxic-free environments. Anti-ageing medicine holds promises but also significant risks and safety issues which this book addresses. It presents the latest scientific evidence on what works or does not work. It also provides public policy recommendations to ensure the protection and rights of consumers while encouraging research and development. This book is intended for academics, health professionals, business persons, consumers and policymakers interested in finding out the latest evidence and ethical issues about anti-ageing medicine. It helps to get a better view on the possible choices for optimizing a healthy life and better ageing through safe technology.