R
Reason
Guest
LONGEVITY MEME NEWSLETTER
December 15 2003
The Longevity Meme Newsletter is a biweekly e-mail containing news,
opinions and happenings for people interested in healthy life
extension: making use of diet, lifestyle choices, technology and
proven medical advances to live healthy, longer lives. To subscribe or
unsubscribe from the Longevity Meme Newsletter, please visit
http://www.longevitymeme.org/newsletter/.
______________________________
CONTENTS
- Ray Kurzweil Endorses Anti-Aging Research Prize
- Kurzweil on Radical Life Extension
- How the Politics of Medical Research Affect You
- Support CAMR and Fight For Better Medical Research
- Discussion
- Latest Healthy Life Extension News Headlines
RAY KURZWEIL ENDORSES ANTI-AGING RESEARCH PRIZE
Ray Kurzweil, the influential inventor, entrepreneur and futurist, has
long had a strong interest in healthy life extension and the
associated development of new, advanced medical technology. I am very
pleased to see that he has endorsed the recently launched Methuselah
Mouse Prize for anti-aging research. Ray Kurzweil is a respected voice
in many fields, and his endorsement and the accompanying modest
donation will do a great deal of good. You can read more below:
http://www.methuselahmouse.org/news/Kurzweil.htm
Given the high-powered endorsements of the Methuselah Mouse Prize of
late, isn't it time that you donated? The current matching fund will
add one dollar for every two dollars donated until the first $50,000
total is reached. Follow the link below to make your tax-deductible
donation:
http://www.methuselahmouse.org/donate.php
Consider it a small down payment on better medicine and a longer,
healthier future!
KURZWEIL ON RADICAL LIFE EXTENSION
You might be familiar with the KurzweilAI website, and this is a very
good place to learn more about Ray Kurzweil's fields of interest. The
KurzweilAI website sports an interest selection of articles and
discussions on radical life extension and the medical technologies
that will be needed to make it all work. I recommend you devote some
leisure time to browse and take it in:
http://www.kurzweilai.net/meme/frame.html?m=5
>From this and other resources, it should be clear that the medical,
scientific path to extending our healthy life spans is well marked and
well understood by at least some scientists. As usual, politics and
human nature are what provide the uncertainty in our future.
HOW THE POLITICS OF MEDICAL RESEARCH AFFECT YOU
I would love to be able to spend more time talking about science and
longer, healthier lives and less time talking about the politics of
medical research. Unfortunately, it really does seem that the length
and quality of our lives depend ever more on the outcome of political
battles currently in progress.
Stem cell medicine and therapeutic cloning are the technologies most
likely to produce real anti-aging medicine in the near term. They are
the medical technologies most likely to produce cures for the
degenerative diseases of aging in the near term, including cancer,
Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, nerve damage, diabetes, inflammation and
heart disease. These are also the technologies under greatest attack.
The research is very promising, but anti-research factions are trying
very hard to enact bans. You can read more about these technologies
and their relevance to healthy life extension at the following pages:
http://www.longevitymeme.org/topics/stem_cells_and_regenerative_medicine.cfm
http://www.infoaging.org/b-cloning-3-therapeutic.html
Every year in which anti-research groups and politicians succeed in
holding back healthy life extension research is another year in which
you, I and everyone else will have to suffer the effects of aging and
degenerative diseases.
Attacks on stem cell research and therapeutic cloning have led to a
short stalemate in the US. Stem cell research and funding is damaged
by existing Federal legislation, but an outright ban on therapeutic
cloning (passed by the House in 2003) is halted, awaiting Senate
debate:
http://www.longevitymeme.org/projects/oppose_the_therapeutic_cloning_ban.cfm
Christopher Reeve and eminent scientists estimate that US legislation
has set the field of regenerative medicine back by five years. That's
five more years of suffering, aging, disease and death that could have
been cured or prevented.
On the international stage, the US administration and its allies have
been pushing hard for a UN global ban on therapeutic cloning research
over the past few months. They came within two votes of getting it in
November, but the motion was postponed for two years until late 2005.
The US aggressively tried to overturn this stay in early December,
succeeding in bringing the delay down to only one year before the
matter is voted on again. Read more at the following page:
http://www.longevitymeme.org/projects/oppose_global_therapeutic_cloning_ban.cfm
I'm sure that I don't have to tell you all just how damaging a UN ban
on this vital research would be. Anti-research forces within many
countries have already succeeding in choking progress and stifling
research into using stem cells and therapeutic cloning to cure disease
and extend healthy life span. Your voice in these debates counts: you
can make a difference by contacting your elected representatives to
make your views known. Ask them tough questions: why are they trying
so hard to prevent cures from being developed for the diseases of
aging? Why are they endorsing the continuing, terrible human suffering
that results from these diseases and degenerative conditions? Tell
them that you vote, and that you vote for medical progress.
http://www.longevitymeme.org/projects/
SUPPORT CAMR AND FIGHT FOR BETTER MEDICAL RESEARCH
The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR) has been
doing a great job in taking on the anti-research forces in US
politics. Their website is a wonderful resource for anyone who wants
to speak out in favor of stem cell and therapeutic cloning research.
You can learn more about the topics and the underlying science, read
precise summaries of the positions, and make your voice heard by
contacting elected representatives:
http://www.camradvocacy.org
In addition to opposing the potential US ban on therapeutic cloning
(and hence on a great deal of stem cell research), CAMR intends to
make these issues central to the 2004 election. You can help them do
so: visit their website to see how.
DISCUSSION
That would be all for this issue of the newsletter. The highlights and
headlines from the past two weeks follow below. If you have comments
for us, or want to discuss the newsletter, please do visit the forum
at http://www.longevitymeme.org/forum.cfm or send e-mail to
[email protected].
Remember - if you like this newsletter, the chances are that your
friends will find it useful too. Forward the newsletter on by all
means, or post it to your favorite online communities. Encourage the
people you know to pitch in and make a difference to the future of
health and longevity!
Reason
[email protected]
Founder, Longevity Meme
______________________________
RECENT NEWS
Ray Kurzweil Endorses Methuselah Mouse Prize (December 14 2003)
http://www.methuselahmouse.org/news/Kurzweil.htm
Ray Kurzweil, influential inventor and futurist, has given his stamp
of approval (and a modest donation) to the Methuselah Mouse Prize.
This effort is an ambitious, well-received attempt to revive
scientific anti-aging research. By encouraging scientists, educating
the public and stimulating funding, we can help to make near term
anti-aging therapies a reality. The prize was also recently endorsed
by William Haseltine, CEO of Human Genome Sciences and Bob Gelfond,
MagicQ founder. Donations are currently being matched 1:2 by a
challenge grant, so now is a great time to make a tax-deductible
donation. Let's help get the prize to the first $50,000 milestone!
Important Stem Cell Breakthough (December 14 2003)
http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-12-11-4
This research (reported on here by Betterhumans) has gone largely
unnoticed by the mainstream press. I'm informed by those in the know
that this new technique for isolating stem cells and their genes is a
very important advance. It has the potential to greatly speed up
further new work on stem cell therapies. With techniques essential to
stem cell research under legislative threat worldwide, greater speed
is essential. Working cures are the only thing that will stifle talk
of banning medical research, so full speed ahead I say!
Longevity Meme Mailserver Glitch Fixed (December 13 2003)
http://www.longevitymeme.org/newsletter
Due to a temporary glitch in our outgoing mailserver, you may have
been unable to sign up for or remove yourself from the Longevity Meme
Newsletter for the past few days. If this is the case, and you have
not already heard from us directly, please go ahead and try again now
that the problem is fixed. Apologies all round, but at least the rest
of the move to a new server went smoothly. The next newsletter is sent
out on Monday 15th, so now would be an excellent time to sign up!
Japanese Government Recommends Limited Stem Cell Research (December 13
2003)
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/12/14/1071336795092.html
The Age briefly notes that a Japanese government panel has recommended
allowing limited stem cell research on human embryos. This is better
than no research, but it appears to be limited to treating serious
hereditary diseases. Japanese scientists have made notable progress
over the past year in a number of stem cell therapies related to heart
and eye regeneration, amongst others. These laudable efforts might be
excluded. Still, this is a preliminary step; futher political
discussions will come before any final conclusion and legislation.
Reminder: Immortality Institute Book Project (December 12 2003)
http://www.imminst.org/book
The Immortality Institute book project is accepting submissions until
January
15th, 2004. A number of well-known names have offered contributions,
including David Brin, Damien Broderick, James Halperin and Ray
Kurzweil. The Institute is still looking for texts and high quality
forum posts for inclusion, so feel free to jump on in if you think you
can contribute. The book will focus on the scientific path to physical
immortality, including topics on advanced medical research, healthy
life extension, transhumanism and the associated culture and
communities. It's an exciting project, and looks to be an exciting
final product.
Reporting on the Phoenix Conference (December 12 2003)
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/1212nelongevity12.html
The Arizona Republic reports on the Phoenix Conference on Longevity
Health Sciences in this article. The conference, currently underway,
is hosted by the Kronos Longevity Research Institute, and covers a
wide range of topics. Quote: "Kronos' stated aim in holding the
conference is to separate fact from fiction amid a growing volume of
scientific and non-scientific information on aging." More information
is available at the conference website. Frequence and size of
conferences are a measure of the health of any branch of science, and
it is gratifying to see more happening in aging and healthy life
extension research.
Another Longevity Mechanism Uncovered (December 12 2003)
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=117&art_id=qw1071079741709B252&set_id=1
IOL reports that scientists have uncovered another biochemical
longevity mechanism in nematode worms. The "TOR" protein is present in
plants, animals and humans; it regulates metabolism and energy. By
removing it, the life span of nematodes is nearly doubled. Scientists
suggest that TOR may be involved in the mechanisms of calorie
restriction, which have not yet been fully explored (although people
are working on it). Knowledge is power. As science uncovers the
mechanisms of longevity, we get closer to developing true anti-aging
and healthy life extension therapies.
Shopping For Longevity (December 12 2003)
http://www.healthandage.com/Home/gm=20!gc=37!gid2=2732!gnews=01111203
Health and Age is reprinting some common sense advice on dealing with
the "anti-aging" marketplace and working on your natural longevity.
Some of the comments even mirror the way we at the Longevity Meme feel
about these things: be a late adopter, use scientifically proven
methods only, and stay healthy to benefit from the future of healthy
life extension medicine. The most important thing to can do is to help
ensure that medical progress continues unimpeded - your future health
depends on the development of new and better medical technology!
Visit CAMR and Take Action (December 10 2003)
http://www.camradvocacy.org/
The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research has been a
strong voice in the political debates over stem cell research and
therapeutic cloning. They have made their views known in the UN
debate, and are working to make these issues central in the 2004 US
election. CAMR is doing a great job in defending our rights to
research better medicine and cures for degenerative diseases of aging:
they deserve your support and help. Visit the CAMR website and see how
you can take a few minutes to help ensure a longer, healthier future.
If we don't make our views known, we stand a good chance of having the
most promising medical research - and cures already demonstrated in
the laboratory - banned outright.
More On UN Therapeutic Cloning Ban (December 10 2003)
http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20031210/05/
BioMed Central has more on the latest back and forth at the UN over
therapeutic cloning, a foundational technology for stem cell
therapies. This is a vital topic for medical research, especially for
people in nations like the US, wher the administration is attempting
to bypass US senate deliberations to enact an ideological agenda. It
is horrifying that so many politicians are dead set on preventing
cures for heart disease, nerve damage, Parkinson's and much more. We
must speak out and make our views known! Our future health and
longevity is at stake.
UN Puts Off Therapeutic Cloning Ban Again (December 09 2003)
http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,61528,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_3
As noted at Wired, the UN has again voted to postpone any
consideration of a global therapeutic cloning ban (which would also
ban most work on stem cell therapies for cancer, Parkinson's, nerve
damage, and so forth). This time the delay is only for a year, but it
looks like the anti-research forces led by the US administration are
going to have to accept this defeat. As damaging legislation is put
off, scientists working on stem cell and therapeutic cloning medicine
can demonstrate amazing payoffs. This said, it's is a sad statement on
human nature that we are even fighting political battles over whether
or not to cure deadly diseases.
Yes, We Can Have It All (December 09 2003)
http://www.sagecrossroads.com/news_120103.cfm
"Labs around the world are crawling with prodigiously long-lived
flies, worms, and mice." Starting from that comment, SAGE Crossroads
proceeds to debunk the idea that increased longevity requires a
trade-off in some other aspect of life or health. While there are
always dissenters, it doesn't look like the naysayers have a very
compelling case in this instance. Research to date does indeed present
a good case that - through advances in medical science - we could have
it all: radically increased healthy life span with no significant
downside. Of course, this is dependant on funding and public support,
which is why we need activism and education.
New Stem Cell Based Cancer Therapy (December 09 2003)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/12/031208141008.htm
An article at ScienceDaily (found via Transhumanity) discusses a new
potential cancer cure currently in the labs: number 18 since we
started keeping count in late 2002. The cancer therapy field is poised
for a real explosion in effectiveness and range of therapies. This one
is especially novel: stem cells seek out cancer cells and produce
biological killing agents on site. It is even capable of attacking
metastasized cancer - an amazing breakthrough in the field if
verified. Defeating cancer is vital to healthy life extension, and
enormous strides are being made.
Quackwatch Is Your Friend (December 08 2003)
http://www.quackwatch.org
Navigating through the morass of information relating to healthy life
extension is a horrid process, especially if you are new to it all.
Most of it is worthless, or even dangerous, put out by "anti-aging"
groups trying to make money from products that don't work. It can take
years to sort out the good from the bad, who to avoid and who to
trust. This was one of the reasons for founding the Longevity Meme -
to provide a better starting point. When doing your own research,
Quackwatch is a good, solid, conservative resource.
HGH Supplement "Bait and Switch" (December 08 2003)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=3957588
Continuing the hormone supplement theme, here is a Reuters article on
false advertising and bad science in the human growth hormone (HGH)
"anti-aging" marketplace. The scientific backing for the effectiveness
of HGH in extending healthy lifespan is nowhere near as solid as
vendors would have you believe (see Quackwatch on this topic, for
example), and the supplement products don't actually put HGH into your
system in any case. That a widespread and wealthy industry exists to
market these worthless products is a part of the problem facing real
anti-aging and healthy life extension research. The fraudsters and
quacks make it hard for potential funders to identify useful efforts
from nonsense, and so funding remains at a low level.
Study Underlines Unknowns Relating to DHEA (December 07 2003)
http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/agng/516330.html
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes the uncertainty that surrounds
the use and biochemistry of DHEA, a hormone supplement. Like growth
hormone (HGH), it is heavily promoted in the "anti-aging" marketplace,
but reliable, solid science to support the claims (as in the case of
calorie restriction) just isn't there. A quote: "We don't know what
the normal function of this hormone is in young adults, and we have no
idea why we have this hormone." The article also offers some links to
further resources on the topic.
Lifeline Nutraceuticals and CereMedix (December 07 2003)
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~33~1812940,00.html
An article in the Denver Post sheds some more light on what Lifeline
Nutraceuticals and CereMedix have been up to with their new
antioxidant supplement. There is talk of a human trial next year,
which would be the first step towards the needed widespread scientific
confirmation of their claims. This article is also a telling insight
into the damage that the snake oil "anti-aging" industry has done to
the prospects of any legitimate product. We all have to be skeptical
(of Lifeline as well) because so many hucksters, frauds and suave
marketing departments make millions by selling worthless junk.
ABCNews Covers Calorie Restriction (December 06 2003)
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/2020/Living/calorie_restriction_diet_031205-1.html
It's always good to see healthy life extension concepts making it into
the mainstream media in a well-balanced way, as recently happened with
the ABCNews coverage of calorie restriction. If you want to find out
more about calorie restriction, you should read our introduction here
at the Longevity Meme, and then saunter over to the CR Society for
more information. The society members are a friendly, helpful crowd
and their website provides all the useful calorie restriction
resources you'll need.
More On Repeated UN Therapeutic Cloning Ban (December 06 2003)
http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,61461,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_4
Wired is carrying an article with more information on the possible
repeat attempt to enact a UN ban on therapeutic cloning. Therapeutic
cloning is a core technology for new and very promising regenerative
medicine research - cures for many degenerative conditions of aging
appear to be possible in the near future. It is clear that
pro-medicine, pro-research groups need louder voices at governmental
and international levels. These attacks on medical research can only
lead to more death and suffering as better therapies are postponed or
banned.
The Independent on Healthy Life Extension (December 05 2003)
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_medical/story.jsp?story=469637
The Independent discusses extending the healthy life span and research
on nematode worms in this recent article. A quote: "these findings in
the nematode show that remarkable lifespan extensions can be produced
with no apparent loss of health or vitality, by perturbing a small
number of genes and tissues in an animal." The article stops short of
advocating increased overall life span in humans, but I think it's
clear that healthy life extension ideas are now mainstream. So tell a
friend about the Longevity Meme today!
Suspended Animation Drops Boca Raton Effort (December 05 2003)
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/lo...boca,0,1552625.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
(From the Sun-Sentinel). Cryonics research company Suspended Animation
have dropped their efforts to fight the Boca Raton city council. It
looks fairly clear that the expected result in January will be another
refusal, so the company will focus on finding a new Florida location
for their research. A victory for the luddites here, unfortunately -
but the efforts of everyone who wrote, called and turned out in
support are greatly appreciated. Research into cryonics is vital to
the growth, professionalism and validity of this industry; it is a
great pity that short sighted and unscientific opponents think
otherwise.
It's Never Too Late To Start Exercising (December 04 2003)
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-12/jdc-int120403.php
I like to post reminders about general health and natural longevity
every so often. Here is one from EurekAlert that discusses recent
studies on the effects of sensible diet and exercise. As we should all
know by now, losing weight and engaging in moderate daily exercise
greatly improves health at all ages. By improving health in this way,
you improve your natural longevity. By improving your natural
longevity, you stand a much better chance of being healthy and active
to benefit from future anti-aging medicines. Your health is important,
so work on it!
Links Between Growth Hormone and Regeneration (December 04 2003)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/12/031204074202.htm
As noted at Science Daily, researchers have further explored the
biochemical link between growth hormone and a gene that controls at
least some tissue regeneration. From the article: "Growth hormone
levels decline as we grow older; as a result, the Foxm1b gene stops
working and our bodies are less capable of repairing damage." This is
early work (in mice) and certainly not yet an endorsement of growth
hormone therapies - which have had mixed results in scientific
studies.
Understanding Genetic Damage (December 03 2003)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/12/031203075629.htm
Understanding why and how damage to our genes accumulates with age is
the first step towards preventing this part of aging. This article
from ScienceDaily describes some very clever work that advances our
knowledge of the way in which genes are damaged in cells with worn
telomeres. A separate article at the LEF News notes an advance in
understanding why DNA repair becomes less efficient in older cells.
All in all, very interesting stuff. The path to doing something about
blocking the genetic mutations that lead to age-related conditions is
becoming clearer with each year of funded research.
SAGE Crossroads on Errant Bioethicists (December 03 2003)
http://www.sagecrossroads.com/news_112403.cfm
An article at SAGE Crossroads comments on recent report from the
President's Council on Bioethics. The report starts by giving a
promising view of the developing technologies of healthy life
extension, but then falls off the cliff into fear of change and
advocacy for suffering, shorter life spans, and death. Leon Kass,
chair of the Council, is strongly opposed to allowing healthy life
extension of any sort - a cruel and ugly position to be advocating,
but one that suits the current anti-research US administration just
fine. Fortunately, it seems that at least some bioethicists are
sensible enough to oppose Kass and his ilk.
New View of Link Between Aging and Artery Disease (December 02 2003)
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-12/dumc-dco120103.php
As reported by EurekAlert, scientists are coming to a better
understanding of the mechanisms that link aging, atherosclerosis and
heart disease. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center believe
that the ability of the body to repair age-related damage through bone
marrow stem cells determines health in later life. Serious problems do
not start to arise until this natural regenerative capacity - which is
believed to be finite - runs out. With the current research focus on
stem cells, this new viewpoint offers further obvious avenues for work
towards anti-aging therapies.
There's More Future in Your Future (December 02 2003)
http://www.techcentralstation.com/120203E.html
Michael Fumento offers an overview of the past few years of healthy
life extension research and associated opinions at Tech Central
Station. He dings naysayers in the scientific community (Hayflick and
Olshansky) on the grounds of circular reasoning and invalid
extrapolation of past trends - a point that needs to be seen in print
more often. Research is accelerating, and we cannot look to the past
to predict the future. On the topic of political opposition from the
likes of Leon Kass, he notes that "like all biotechnology, lifespan
extension is merely a tool. It's up to us how it's used."
Bush Administration Still Trying For Global Stem Cell Ban (December 01
2003)
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N01259236.htm
AlertNet reports that the Bush administration is still trying hard to
push a global ban on stem cell research and therapeutic cloning at the
United Nations. The body recently voted (by a narrow margin) to delay
any such proposal until 2005, but the US may try to overturn that
vote. A ban on stem cell research would have devastating consequences
on our future health and longevity: this field is a cornerstone in the
search for regenerative medicine to cure the degenerative conditions
of aging. Write to your representatives today!
Startling Progress In Tissue Engineering (December 01 2003)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/12/031201064329.htm
Tissue engineering is a branch of regenerative medicine devoted to
growing complex replacement organs from scratch, using stem cell
techniques. ScienceDaily notes that UIC researchers have engineered a
joint from adult stem cells, with the correct structure, bone and
cartilage. This is an impressive step forward, and offers the hope of
- for example - completely organic hip replacements using the
patient's own stem cells. There is, of course, much more work to do
yet; hence the need for more funding and more public awareness for
these sorts of advances.
______________________________
Do you have comments for us, or want to discuss the newsletter? Visit
the Longevity Meme forum at http://www.longevitymeme.org/forum.cfm, or
send e-mail to [email protected].
December 15 2003
The Longevity Meme Newsletter is a biweekly e-mail containing news,
opinions and happenings for people interested in healthy life
extension: making use of diet, lifestyle choices, technology and
proven medical advances to live healthy, longer lives. To subscribe or
unsubscribe from the Longevity Meme Newsletter, please visit
http://www.longevitymeme.org/newsletter/.
______________________________
CONTENTS
- Ray Kurzweil Endorses Anti-Aging Research Prize
- Kurzweil on Radical Life Extension
- How the Politics of Medical Research Affect You
- Support CAMR and Fight For Better Medical Research
- Discussion
- Latest Healthy Life Extension News Headlines
RAY KURZWEIL ENDORSES ANTI-AGING RESEARCH PRIZE
Ray Kurzweil, the influential inventor, entrepreneur and futurist, has
long had a strong interest in healthy life extension and the
associated development of new, advanced medical technology. I am very
pleased to see that he has endorsed the recently launched Methuselah
Mouse Prize for anti-aging research. Ray Kurzweil is a respected voice
in many fields, and his endorsement and the accompanying modest
donation will do a great deal of good. You can read more below:
http://www.methuselahmouse.org/news/Kurzweil.htm
Given the high-powered endorsements of the Methuselah Mouse Prize of
late, isn't it time that you donated? The current matching fund will
add one dollar for every two dollars donated until the first $50,000
total is reached. Follow the link below to make your tax-deductible
donation:
http://www.methuselahmouse.org/donate.php
Consider it a small down payment on better medicine and a longer,
healthier future!
KURZWEIL ON RADICAL LIFE EXTENSION
You might be familiar with the KurzweilAI website, and this is a very
good place to learn more about Ray Kurzweil's fields of interest. The
KurzweilAI website sports an interest selection of articles and
discussions on radical life extension and the medical technologies
that will be needed to make it all work. I recommend you devote some
leisure time to browse and take it in:
http://www.kurzweilai.net/meme/frame.html?m=5
>From this and other resources, it should be clear that the medical,
scientific path to extending our healthy life spans is well marked and
well understood by at least some scientists. As usual, politics and
human nature are what provide the uncertainty in our future.
HOW THE POLITICS OF MEDICAL RESEARCH AFFECT YOU
I would love to be able to spend more time talking about science and
longer, healthier lives and less time talking about the politics of
medical research. Unfortunately, it really does seem that the length
and quality of our lives depend ever more on the outcome of political
battles currently in progress.
Stem cell medicine and therapeutic cloning are the technologies most
likely to produce real anti-aging medicine in the near term. They are
the medical technologies most likely to produce cures for the
degenerative diseases of aging in the near term, including cancer,
Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, nerve damage, diabetes, inflammation and
heart disease. These are also the technologies under greatest attack.
The research is very promising, but anti-research factions are trying
very hard to enact bans. You can read more about these technologies
and their relevance to healthy life extension at the following pages:
http://www.longevitymeme.org/topics/stem_cells_and_regenerative_medicine.cfm
http://www.infoaging.org/b-cloning-3-therapeutic.html
Every year in which anti-research groups and politicians succeed in
holding back healthy life extension research is another year in which
you, I and everyone else will have to suffer the effects of aging and
degenerative diseases.
Attacks on stem cell research and therapeutic cloning have led to a
short stalemate in the US. Stem cell research and funding is damaged
by existing Federal legislation, but an outright ban on therapeutic
cloning (passed by the House in 2003) is halted, awaiting Senate
debate:
http://www.longevitymeme.org/projects/oppose_the_therapeutic_cloning_ban.cfm
Christopher Reeve and eminent scientists estimate that US legislation
has set the field of regenerative medicine back by five years. That's
five more years of suffering, aging, disease and death that could have
been cured or prevented.
On the international stage, the US administration and its allies have
been pushing hard for a UN global ban on therapeutic cloning research
over the past few months. They came within two votes of getting it in
November, but the motion was postponed for two years until late 2005.
The US aggressively tried to overturn this stay in early December,
succeeding in bringing the delay down to only one year before the
matter is voted on again. Read more at the following page:
http://www.longevitymeme.org/projects/oppose_global_therapeutic_cloning_ban.cfm
I'm sure that I don't have to tell you all just how damaging a UN ban
on this vital research would be. Anti-research forces within many
countries have already succeeding in choking progress and stifling
research into using stem cells and therapeutic cloning to cure disease
and extend healthy life span. Your voice in these debates counts: you
can make a difference by contacting your elected representatives to
make your views known. Ask them tough questions: why are they trying
so hard to prevent cures from being developed for the diseases of
aging? Why are they endorsing the continuing, terrible human suffering
that results from these diseases and degenerative conditions? Tell
them that you vote, and that you vote for medical progress.
http://www.longevitymeme.org/projects/
SUPPORT CAMR AND FIGHT FOR BETTER MEDICAL RESEARCH
The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR) has been
doing a great job in taking on the anti-research forces in US
politics. Their website is a wonderful resource for anyone who wants
to speak out in favor of stem cell and therapeutic cloning research.
You can learn more about the topics and the underlying science, read
precise summaries of the positions, and make your voice heard by
contacting elected representatives:
http://www.camradvocacy.org
In addition to opposing the potential US ban on therapeutic cloning
(and hence on a great deal of stem cell research), CAMR intends to
make these issues central to the 2004 election. You can help them do
so: visit their website to see how.
DISCUSSION
That would be all for this issue of the newsletter. The highlights and
headlines from the past two weeks follow below. If you have comments
for us, or want to discuss the newsletter, please do visit the forum
at http://www.longevitymeme.org/forum.cfm or send e-mail to
[email protected].
Remember - if you like this newsletter, the chances are that your
friends will find it useful too. Forward the newsletter on by all
means, or post it to your favorite online communities. Encourage the
people you know to pitch in and make a difference to the future of
health and longevity!
Reason
[email protected]
Founder, Longevity Meme
______________________________
RECENT NEWS
Ray Kurzweil Endorses Methuselah Mouse Prize (December 14 2003)
http://www.methuselahmouse.org/news/Kurzweil.htm
Ray Kurzweil, influential inventor and futurist, has given his stamp
of approval (and a modest donation) to the Methuselah Mouse Prize.
This effort is an ambitious, well-received attempt to revive
scientific anti-aging research. By encouraging scientists, educating
the public and stimulating funding, we can help to make near term
anti-aging therapies a reality. The prize was also recently endorsed
by William Haseltine, CEO of Human Genome Sciences and Bob Gelfond,
MagicQ founder. Donations are currently being matched 1:2 by a
challenge grant, so now is a great time to make a tax-deductible
donation. Let's help get the prize to the first $50,000 milestone!
Important Stem Cell Breakthough (December 14 2003)
http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-12-11-4
This research (reported on here by Betterhumans) has gone largely
unnoticed by the mainstream press. I'm informed by those in the know
that this new technique for isolating stem cells and their genes is a
very important advance. It has the potential to greatly speed up
further new work on stem cell therapies. With techniques essential to
stem cell research under legislative threat worldwide, greater speed
is essential. Working cures are the only thing that will stifle talk
of banning medical research, so full speed ahead I say!
Longevity Meme Mailserver Glitch Fixed (December 13 2003)
http://www.longevitymeme.org/newsletter
Due to a temporary glitch in our outgoing mailserver, you may have
been unable to sign up for or remove yourself from the Longevity Meme
Newsletter for the past few days. If this is the case, and you have
not already heard from us directly, please go ahead and try again now
that the problem is fixed. Apologies all round, but at least the rest
of the move to a new server went smoothly. The next newsletter is sent
out on Monday 15th, so now would be an excellent time to sign up!
Japanese Government Recommends Limited Stem Cell Research (December 13
2003)
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/12/14/1071336795092.html
The Age briefly notes that a Japanese government panel has recommended
allowing limited stem cell research on human embryos. This is better
than no research, but it appears to be limited to treating serious
hereditary diseases. Japanese scientists have made notable progress
over the past year in a number of stem cell therapies related to heart
and eye regeneration, amongst others. These laudable efforts might be
excluded. Still, this is a preliminary step; futher political
discussions will come before any final conclusion and legislation.
Reminder: Immortality Institute Book Project (December 12 2003)
http://www.imminst.org/book
The Immortality Institute book project is accepting submissions until
January
15th, 2004. A number of well-known names have offered contributions,
including David Brin, Damien Broderick, James Halperin and Ray
Kurzweil. The Institute is still looking for texts and high quality
forum posts for inclusion, so feel free to jump on in if you think you
can contribute. The book will focus on the scientific path to physical
immortality, including topics on advanced medical research, healthy
life extension, transhumanism and the associated culture and
communities. It's an exciting project, and looks to be an exciting
final product.
Reporting on the Phoenix Conference (December 12 2003)
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/1212nelongevity12.html
The Arizona Republic reports on the Phoenix Conference on Longevity
Health Sciences in this article. The conference, currently underway,
is hosted by the Kronos Longevity Research Institute, and covers a
wide range of topics. Quote: "Kronos' stated aim in holding the
conference is to separate fact from fiction amid a growing volume of
scientific and non-scientific information on aging." More information
is available at the conference website. Frequence and size of
conferences are a measure of the health of any branch of science, and
it is gratifying to see more happening in aging and healthy life
extension research.
Another Longevity Mechanism Uncovered (December 12 2003)
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=117&art_id=qw1071079741709B252&set_id=1
IOL reports that scientists have uncovered another biochemical
longevity mechanism in nematode worms. The "TOR" protein is present in
plants, animals and humans; it regulates metabolism and energy. By
removing it, the life span of nematodes is nearly doubled. Scientists
suggest that TOR may be involved in the mechanisms of calorie
restriction, which have not yet been fully explored (although people
are working on it). Knowledge is power. As science uncovers the
mechanisms of longevity, we get closer to developing true anti-aging
and healthy life extension therapies.
Shopping For Longevity (December 12 2003)
http://www.healthandage.com/Home/gm=20!gc=37!gid2=2732!gnews=01111203
Health and Age is reprinting some common sense advice on dealing with
the "anti-aging" marketplace and working on your natural longevity.
Some of the comments even mirror the way we at the Longevity Meme feel
about these things: be a late adopter, use scientifically proven
methods only, and stay healthy to benefit from the future of healthy
life extension medicine. The most important thing to can do is to help
ensure that medical progress continues unimpeded - your future health
depends on the development of new and better medical technology!
Visit CAMR and Take Action (December 10 2003)
http://www.camradvocacy.org/
The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research has been a
strong voice in the political debates over stem cell research and
therapeutic cloning. They have made their views known in the UN
debate, and are working to make these issues central in the 2004 US
election. CAMR is doing a great job in defending our rights to
research better medicine and cures for degenerative diseases of aging:
they deserve your support and help. Visit the CAMR website and see how
you can take a few minutes to help ensure a longer, healthier future.
If we don't make our views known, we stand a good chance of having the
most promising medical research - and cures already demonstrated in
the laboratory - banned outright.
More On UN Therapeutic Cloning Ban (December 10 2003)
http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20031210/05/
BioMed Central has more on the latest back and forth at the UN over
therapeutic cloning, a foundational technology for stem cell
therapies. This is a vital topic for medical research, especially for
people in nations like the US, wher the administration is attempting
to bypass US senate deliberations to enact an ideological agenda. It
is horrifying that so many politicians are dead set on preventing
cures for heart disease, nerve damage, Parkinson's and much more. We
must speak out and make our views known! Our future health and
longevity is at stake.
UN Puts Off Therapeutic Cloning Ban Again (December 09 2003)
http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,61528,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_3
As noted at Wired, the UN has again voted to postpone any
consideration of a global therapeutic cloning ban (which would also
ban most work on stem cell therapies for cancer, Parkinson's, nerve
damage, and so forth). This time the delay is only for a year, but it
looks like the anti-research forces led by the US administration are
going to have to accept this defeat. As damaging legislation is put
off, scientists working on stem cell and therapeutic cloning medicine
can demonstrate amazing payoffs. This said, it's is a sad statement on
human nature that we are even fighting political battles over whether
or not to cure deadly diseases.
Yes, We Can Have It All (December 09 2003)
http://www.sagecrossroads.com/news_120103.cfm
"Labs around the world are crawling with prodigiously long-lived
flies, worms, and mice." Starting from that comment, SAGE Crossroads
proceeds to debunk the idea that increased longevity requires a
trade-off in some other aspect of life or health. While there are
always dissenters, it doesn't look like the naysayers have a very
compelling case in this instance. Research to date does indeed present
a good case that - through advances in medical science - we could have
it all: radically increased healthy life span with no significant
downside. Of course, this is dependant on funding and public support,
which is why we need activism and education.
New Stem Cell Based Cancer Therapy (December 09 2003)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/12/031208141008.htm
An article at ScienceDaily (found via Transhumanity) discusses a new
potential cancer cure currently in the labs: number 18 since we
started keeping count in late 2002. The cancer therapy field is poised
for a real explosion in effectiveness and range of therapies. This one
is especially novel: stem cells seek out cancer cells and produce
biological killing agents on site. It is even capable of attacking
metastasized cancer - an amazing breakthrough in the field if
verified. Defeating cancer is vital to healthy life extension, and
enormous strides are being made.
Quackwatch Is Your Friend (December 08 2003)
http://www.quackwatch.org
Navigating through the morass of information relating to healthy life
extension is a horrid process, especially if you are new to it all.
Most of it is worthless, or even dangerous, put out by "anti-aging"
groups trying to make money from products that don't work. It can take
years to sort out the good from the bad, who to avoid and who to
trust. This was one of the reasons for founding the Longevity Meme -
to provide a better starting point. When doing your own research,
Quackwatch is a good, solid, conservative resource.
HGH Supplement "Bait and Switch" (December 08 2003)
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=3957588
Continuing the hormone supplement theme, here is a Reuters article on
false advertising and bad science in the human growth hormone (HGH)
"anti-aging" marketplace. The scientific backing for the effectiveness
of HGH in extending healthy lifespan is nowhere near as solid as
vendors would have you believe (see Quackwatch on this topic, for
example), and the supplement products don't actually put HGH into your
system in any case. That a widespread and wealthy industry exists to
market these worthless products is a part of the problem facing real
anti-aging and healthy life extension research. The fraudsters and
quacks make it hard for potential funders to identify useful efforts
from nonsense, and so funding remains at a low level.
Study Underlines Unknowns Relating to DHEA (December 07 2003)
http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/agng/516330.html
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes the uncertainty that surrounds
the use and biochemistry of DHEA, a hormone supplement. Like growth
hormone (HGH), it is heavily promoted in the "anti-aging" marketplace,
but reliable, solid science to support the claims (as in the case of
calorie restriction) just isn't there. A quote: "We don't know what
the normal function of this hormone is in young adults, and we have no
idea why we have this hormone." The article also offers some links to
further resources on the topic.
Lifeline Nutraceuticals and CereMedix (December 07 2003)
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~33~1812940,00.html
An article in the Denver Post sheds some more light on what Lifeline
Nutraceuticals and CereMedix have been up to with their new
antioxidant supplement. There is talk of a human trial next year,
which would be the first step towards the needed widespread scientific
confirmation of their claims. This article is also a telling insight
into the damage that the snake oil "anti-aging" industry has done to
the prospects of any legitimate product. We all have to be skeptical
(of Lifeline as well) because so many hucksters, frauds and suave
marketing departments make millions by selling worthless junk.
ABCNews Covers Calorie Restriction (December 06 2003)
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/2020/Living/calorie_restriction_diet_031205-1.html
It's always good to see healthy life extension concepts making it into
the mainstream media in a well-balanced way, as recently happened with
the ABCNews coverage of calorie restriction. If you want to find out
more about calorie restriction, you should read our introduction here
at the Longevity Meme, and then saunter over to the CR Society for
more information. The society members are a friendly, helpful crowd
and their website provides all the useful calorie restriction
resources you'll need.
More On Repeated UN Therapeutic Cloning Ban (December 06 2003)
http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,61461,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_4
Wired is carrying an article with more information on the possible
repeat attempt to enact a UN ban on therapeutic cloning. Therapeutic
cloning is a core technology for new and very promising regenerative
medicine research - cures for many degenerative conditions of aging
appear to be possible in the near future. It is clear that
pro-medicine, pro-research groups need louder voices at governmental
and international levels. These attacks on medical research can only
lead to more death and suffering as better therapies are postponed or
banned.
The Independent on Healthy Life Extension (December 05 2003)
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_medical/story.jsp?story=469637
The Independent discusses extending the healthy life span and research
on nematode worms in this recent article. A quote: "these findings in
the nematode show that remarkable lifespan extensions can be produced
with no apparent loss of health or vitality, by perturbing a small
number of genes and tissues in an animal." The article stops short of
advocating increased overall life span in humans, but I think it's
clear that healthy life extension ideas are now mainstream. So tell a
friend about the Longevity Meme today!
Suspended Animation Drops Boca Raton Effort (December 05 2003)
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/lo...boca,0,1552625.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
(From the Sun-Sentinel). Cryonics research company Suspended Animation
have dropped their efforts to fight the Boca Raton city council. It
looks fairly clear that the expected result in January will be another
refusal, so the company will focus on finding a new Florida location
for their research. A victory for the luddites here, unfortunately -
but the efforts of everyone who wrote, called and turned out in
support are greatly appreciated. Research into cryonics is vital to
the growth, professionalism and validity of this industry; it is a
great pity that short sighted and unscientific opponents think
otherwise.
It's Never Too Late To Start Exercising (December 04 2003)
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-12/jdc-int120403.php
I like to post reminders about general health and natural longevity
every so often. Here is one from EurekAlert that discusses recent
studies on the effects of sensible diet and exercise. As we should all
know by now, losing weight and engaging in moderate daily exercise
greatly improves health at all ages. By improving health in this way,
you improve your natural longevity. By improving your natural
longevity, you stand a much better chance of being healthy and active
to benefit from future anti-aging medicines. Your health is important,
so work on it!
Links Between Growth Hormone and Regeneration (December 04 2003)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/12/031204074202.htm
As noted at Science Daily, researchers have further explored the
biochemical link between growth hormone and a gene that controls at
least some tissue regeneration. From the article: "Growth hormone
levels decline as we grow older; as a result, the Foxm1b gene stops
working and our bodies are less capable of repairing damage." This is
early work (in mice) and certainly not yet an endorsement of growth
hormone therapies - which have had mixed results in scientific
studies.
Understanding Genetic Damage (December 03 2003)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/12/031203075629.htm
Understanding why and how damage to our genes accumulates with age is
the first step towards preventing this part of aging. This article
from ScienceDaily describes some very clever work that advances our
knowledge of the way in which genes are damaged in cells with worn
telomeres. A separate article at the LEF News notes an advance in
understanding why DNA repair becomes less efficient in older cells.
All in all, very interesting stuff. The path to doing something about
blocking the genetic mutations that lead to age-related conditions is
becoming clearer with each year of funded research.
SAGE Crossroads on Errant Bioethicists (December 03 2003)
http://www.sagecrossroads.com/news_112403.cfm
An article at SAGE Crossroads comments on recent report from the
President's Council on Bioethics. The report starts by giving a
promising view of the developing technologies of healthy life
extension, but then falls off the cliff into fear of change and
advocacy for suffering, shorter life spans, and death. Leon Kass,
chair of the Council, is strongly opposed to allowing healthy life
extension of any sort - a cruel and ugly position to be advocating,
but one that suits the current anti-research US administration just
fine. Fortunately, it seems that at least some bioethicists are
sensible enough to oppose Kass and his ilk.
New View of Link Between Aging and Artery Disease (December 02 2003)
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-12/dumc-dco120103.php
As reported by EurekAlert, scientists are coming to a better
understanding of the mechanisms that link aging, atherosclerosis and
heart disease. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center believe
that the ability of the body to repair age-related damage through bone
marrow stem cells determines health in later life. Serious problems do
not start to arise until this natural regenerative capacity - which is
believed to be finite - runs out. With the current research focus on
stem cells, this new viewpoint offers further obvious avenues for work
towards anti-aging therapies.
There's More Future in Your Future (December 02 2003)
http://www.techcentralstation.com/120203E.html
Michael Fumento offers an overview of the past few years of healthy
life extension research and associated opinions at Tech Central
Station. He dings naysayers in the scientific community (Hayflick and
Olshansky) on the grounds of circular reasoning and invalid
extrapolation of past trends - a point that needs to be seen in print
more often. Research is accelerating, and we cannot look to the past
to predict the future. On the topic of political opposition from the
likes of Leon Kass, he notes that "like all biotechnology, lifespan
extension is merely a tool. It's up to us how it's used."
Bush Administration Still Trying For Global Stem Cell Ban (December 01
2003)
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N01259236.htm
AlertNet reports that the Bush administration is still trying hard to
push a global ban on stem cell research and therapeutic cloning at the
United Nations. The body recently voted (by a narrow margin) to delay
any such proposal until 2005, but the US may try to overturn that
vote. A ban on stem cell research would have devastating consequences
on our future health and longevity: this field is a cornerstone in the
search for regenerative medicine to cure the degenerative conditions
of aging. Write to your representatives today!
Startling Progress In Tissue Engineering (December 01 2003)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/12/031201064329.htm
Tissue engineering is a branch of regenerative medicine devoted to
growing complex replacement organs from scratch, using stem cell
techniques. ScienceDaily notes that UIC researchers have engineered a
joint from adult stem cells, with the correct structure, bone and
cartilage. This is an impressive step forward, and offers the hope of
- for example - completely organic hip replacements using the
patient's own stem cells. There is, of course, much more work to do
yet; hence the need for more funding and more public awareness for
these sorts of advances.
______________________________
Do you have comments for us, or want to discuss the newsletter? Visit
the Longevity Meme forum at http://www.longevitymeme.org/forum.cfm, or
send e-mail to [email protected].