Joe Hockey has signalled that babies presently being born could live until 150, thanks to the advancements in health care and medical science, but really, is this a future that we want?
Outlining the need for changes to Australia’s health system, the Treasurer said, “There’s great news on the horizon for Australia. The fact we are living longer is great news. It’s kind of remarkable that somewhere in the world today, it’s highly probable that a child is being born that is going to live to 150. That’s a long time.
“The question is how we live with dignity and ensure we have a good quality of life the whole way through. This is the conversation we are going to have with Australia over the next few months.”
Research points to drugs being available in the next 10 years which will slow the ageing process, eventually making it a real possibility for people to live to be 150 years old. However, while some diseases associated with ageing can be combated through the development and administration of these new drugs expected to hit the market, what about those diseases which we are already struggling to tackle? Diseases such as dementia would need to be all but eradicated or the social and economic impact would be catastrophic.
So, if such drugs become available, and are anywhere near affordable, will you be queuing up to give them a go?
