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Soon to be released in Europe ,  an over-the-counter home blood test that will tell you how long you will live.

The  biotechnology utilized in this test measures the length of a person’s telomeres, structures on the tips of chromosomes that can show how fast one is  aging, allowing those who take it to get a sense of whether their “biological age” is older or younger than their actual age. Studies have shown that people with shorter telomeres than normal have shorter lifespans.

From The Independent, Science:

Telomeres: a short history

* 2003 Scientists studying 20-year-old blood samples from 143 people show that   telomere length is good indicator of whether someone is likely to live for   15 years or more once they reach 60.

* 2004 Women living with stress of having a sick child are found to have   shorter telomeres. Other research suggests that meditation or other forms of   stress reduction may lengthen telomeres.

* 2007 Study of men in Scotland shows those with the longest telomeres were   half as likely to develop heart disease than those with shorter telomeres.   Telomere length was as good as cholesterol levels at predicting the risk of   developing cardiovascular disease.

* 2009 Short telomeres linked with inherited bone marrow disease.

* 2010 GM mice with no telomerase, an enzyme that elongates telomeres in some   cells, age prematurely compared to normal mice. The ageing effects were   reversed after injections of telomerase.

* 2011 Study of civil servants in the UK shows that those with few educational   qualifications have shorter telomeres than those with higher educational   qualifications. People with poor backgrounds are known to age faster and   suffer more age-related diseases.

While most researchers believe that telomere testing will become common witinh the next decade, just as many scientist have ethical concerns.  The drawback to this biotech capability is the potential mis- and mal-usage by insurance company, medical institutions and even corporate entities when issuing policies, determining healthcare options and considering employment candidates, respectively.   Then there are also the unscrupulous ”anti-aging” product companies that will undoubtedly hawk all sorts of unproven “fountain of youth” products to easily influenced customers.

On the plus side, knowing that one has shorter teemore will enable a person to make lifestyle changes (diet, stress reduction, exercise…) that can literally and measurably add years to a person’s life.

In the abstract, there are myriads of ways this development will play into the legal and court system.

- Will such a test become mandatory for those  making decisions on injured people in coma/non-responsive states?

- Can juries be instructed to award more targeted monies to plaintiffs as it relates to post-injury quality of life (specifically, with regard to long-term care? )

- How will expensive surgeries be decided?  Will lesser procedures be performed on those anticipating shorter life spans based on telomere testing?

- Organ transplants?  Next on the list or give to those who will better and longer utilize the donor organ?

In the next decade, a new generation of human testing technology will certainly bear many positive, life saving devices and techniques as well as those delivering better quality fo life.  The price of this biomed technology will also include much (needed and required) ethics debate and review.

BNI Operatives: A step ahead.

As always, stay safe.

Related articles

• What Will Our Telomeres Tell Us? (discovermagazine.com)
• How Long Will You Live? (theness.com)

Filed under: Medical Ethics, Scientific Advancements | Tagged: Blood test, Clinical trial, health, how long will i live, Independent, Jerry Shay, Life expectancy, life predictors, Stress management, Telomere | 2 Comments »