Key points from article :
A University of Queensland (UQ) study asked a thought-provoking question: if people could take a pill to live longer, how would they use their extended years? Led by Dr. Brad Partridge, now at the Mayo Clinic, and co-authored by Dr. Jayne Lucke and Professor Wayne Hall, the research interviewed 605 Australians aged 18 to 96 to uncover their views on the ethical, social, and personal implications of life extension. Published in Rejuvenation Research, the study revealed mixed opinions about living longer.
Many participants saw clear personal benefits to a longer life, with 36% valuing extra time to spend with family, 31% wanting more time to achieve ambitions, and 21% appreciating the promise of better health. However, most also identified downsides, such as the risk of prolonged poor health (34%), the financial costs of living longer (16%), and the pain of outliving loved ones (12%).
From a societal perspective, opinions were divided. While half of the participants believed that life extension could benefit society through increased knowledge (26%) and prolonged contributions from influential individuals (15%), 52% worried about negative consequences. Overpopulation (40%) and increased strain on healthcare and welfare systems (23%) were among their chief concerns.
Dr. Lucke emphasized the importance of understanding public attitudes toward such groundbreaking technologies. She urged researchers, bioethicists, and policymakers to engage with the public to ensure that future advancements in life-extension research align with societal values and expectations.
