Social, Political, and Ethical Obstacles to Human Life Extension
Steven N. Austad
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844-3051, USA
The Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization
states that "the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health
is one of the fundamental rights of every human being?." From that
perspective, one might expect exceptional public enthusiasm and support
for research into medically-induced longer, healthier human life.
However, such enthusiasm and support has been marginal, especially
compared to the much greater support and enthusiasm for medical
research campaigns against specific late-life diseases such as cancer
and diabetes. Social and political obstacles to greater support for
senescence-retarding research have some unacknowledged roots in social
valuation of the elderly compared to the young, as well as acknowledged
concerns about utilitarian issues surrounding extending life. A
further obstacle has been brought about by the highly publicized yet
unwarranted claims of existing so-called anti-aging treatments, leading
either to true-belief in such treatments making further research
unnecessary, or to skepticism about the entire research enterprise.
Keys to overcoming these obstacles lie in public education with respect
to distinguishing legitimate from bogus scientific research and in
pointing out how subtle attitudes toward the elderly influence public
opinion.
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