Assistant Professor The University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, Texas
Abstract: Geroscience seeks to delay age-related diseases and extend healthspan by targeting processes of biological aging, promising to help individuals live healthier, longer lives. As geroscience advances translate into clinical applications, critical ethical questions emerge about who will benefit from these innovations and in what terms. While the field's potential to delay age-related diseases offers substantial public health benefits, it risks creating unprecedented forms of health inequality. Current ethical discourse surrounding geroscience often narrowly focuses on expanding access to clinical trials and potential interventions. This framing assumes that if geroscience interventions were broadly available, they would be both permissible and desirable. However, this reasoning presents several shortcomings that require attention. In this presentation I will briefly highlight five dimensions of geroscience ethics frequently overlooked in the bioethics literature: (1) how geroscience interventions impact society's basic scientific understanding of disease, health, and bodily optimization; (2) potential alterations to fundamental aspects of human experience and identity; (3) challenges to democratic principles through the introduction of novel social hierarchies between those who enjoy healthy aging and those who do not; (4) ethical frameworks for priority-setting and resource allocation; and (5) justification of geroscience research investments given competing public health priorities. This talk will be informed by the speaker's extensive background in geroscience ethics, including two years of participant observation in longevity events, conducting interviews, and analysis of secondary sources. I suggest ethical governance pathways for ensuring that longevity interventions serve broad public interests rather than exacerbating existing health disparities.
Keywords: access to biomedical innovation, justice and health disparities, ethical frameworks
Learning Objectives:
After participating in this conference, attendees should be able to:
Introduce Ethical Implications of Geroscience: Introduce the ethics of geroscience interventions to ASBH attendees, including how the field shapes scientific understandings of disease, health, and bodily optimization.
Identify Justice and Equity Concerns: Assess ethical risks of geroscience creating new social hierarchies and health disparities, and explore frameworks for equitable priority-setting and resource allocation in aging-related interventions.
.png)
