04/09/19 

The role of many professions in the rejuvenation endeavor 

Human rejuvenation endeavor — understood as the process through which humanity attempts to reach a biotechnological level that allows us to avoid and reverse age-related deseases through rejuvenation technologies — has gained increasingly more supporters in recent years. The task seems more feasible day by day: clinical trials (like those related to senolytics) are happening right now, with good results so far. Thus, a lot of people are starting to be strucked by the realization that there is a very meaningful chance that medicine could considerably rejuvenate people in 15 or 20 years from now. The implications in terms of health and well-being would be incalculable. So, many people are asking themselves: how my professional work can help this happen as soon as possible?

If we think about the most needed activities in order to help the rejuvenation endeavor, some professions immediately come to mind, specially in the science area. One can easily imagine a biologist or a chemist in a lab intensely working to undo aging. But other professions can come to mind too; for example, we can think of an investor setting up a biotech company. But beyond this relatively obvious occupations — scientists and investors — which other professions could be useful to hasten the arrival of rejuvenation technologies? Let's try to make a list.

Journalists: information about the feasibility of the rejuvenation medicine is very little know by the general public. Even in the medical area there is a lot of skepticism about it. The discoveries made by science in the last years regarding the implementation of rejuvenation therapies in animal models need to be well known by the whole world. Besides that, the results of the human clinical trials that are happening right now deserve great attention from the journalistic community, because they are essential to any scientific discussion that will inevitably arise when these therapies arrive in the market. In a general manner, journalists are vital for the existence of a public opinion connected firmly with reality when it comes to the rejuvenation medicine.

Economists: the social economic gains of the implementation of rejuvenation therapies are huge, for many reasons, as, for example, the high amount of resources human society currently expends in age-related deseases treatments and the lost of knowledge and experience caused by the death of people. However, these gains should be adequately estimated by economists, in order to inform society about them and to allow people to understand what they can get from the existence of rejuvenation therapies, besides the obvious advantage of not getting inevitably sick and dying within some years or decades. 

Politicians: clinical trials usually are regulated by the state. So, politicians who are aware of the feasibility and urgency of the arrival of rejuvenation therapies are necessary to guarantee that these clinical trials are reasonably regulated. Besides that, successful rejuvenation therapies would change many characteristics of our society, such as the insurance, pensions and healthcare sectors, which usually are also regulated by the state. In the countries where the state provides free healthcare, the influence of rejuvenation therapies will depend more directly on the attitude of the politicians.

Psychologists: the rejuvenation endeavor tends to change many situations that have always been immutable for humans, such as the inevitability of death, the perspective of physical decay and consequent retirement, the different appearance of people who are different ages, the need of reproduction in order to keep the human species alive and so on. Thus, it's very important that psychologists study and understand this process in order to help people to deal with these changes. The human mind is complex and poorly understood, and we still don't know what psychological effects the magnitude of the changes derived from rejuvenation therapies could cause on humanity.

Demographers: the most frequent argument against the convenience of the arrival of rejuvenation therapies is arguably the overpopulation argument. So demographers need to carefully study the matter in order to give a scientific and solid answer about how the rejuvenation therapies would affect the amount of people in the world. The carrying capacity of the planet, taking into account the increasing use of new and cleaner technologies, should be evaluated as well, as this information is vital to any discussion about any alleged overpopulation problem.

Lawyers: the changes in the social structure proportionated by the arrival of rejuvenation therapies in many (if not all) economic and civil areas will demand a lot of work from lawyers, in order to deal with the differences of interpretation that will arise when it becomes clear that the current laws are not adapted to that new reality. Besides that, biotech companies which are creating rejuvenation therapies, as it also happens with all other kinds of companies, need a specialized legal support.

Artists: where are the movies about the benefits of undoing aging? And the songs? And the books, with exciting stories about a post-aging world? Artists are absolutely helpful in the rejuvenation endeavor. People understand reality not only through journalism or schools, but through art as well. There is an enormous field for artists to portray the many possibilities that could arise from longer and healthier lives. This is perhaps the most underutilized communication instrument of the current rejuvenation community.

Doctors: Besides working in the research area, it is up to doctors to prescribe the rejuvenation therapies to their patients when they arrive in the market. Thus, it's very important that doctors are well informed about it. Besides that, the contact between doctors and patients is a very efficient way to inform society as a whole about the arrival and benefits of the rejuvenation medicine. Sometimes, a doctor can take care of a person for decades, and this person will hear very carefully the opinion of this doctor about the safety and efficacy of the rejuvenation therapies.

It would be possible to continue with this list of professions, including publicity agents, managers, carers, teachers, digital influencers, translators, historians and many more. So, the number of people who can professionally be helpful in the rejuvenation endeavor is immense. However, probably almost everyone, including those in the above mentioned professions, don't work currently with something related to the rejuvenation area. So it's up to each one of us — once convinced of the probable feasibility and urgency of undoing aging — to gradually, if that's the case, and responsibly, shift the direction of our professional activities towards the rejuvenation endeavor goals. It's a challenge, but it's worth it, because life is worth it.

Nicolas Chernavsky