X-Message-Number: 18722 Date: Fri, 08 Mar 2002 03:23:11 -0800 From: "John Grigg" <> Subject: The cost of anti-aging drugs Toby Christensen wrote: It's important to realize that anti-ageing drugs will be hugely expensive and that only the very wealthy will be able to afford them. (end) That's right!! So what are you doing to become a multi-millionaire? In my case I happen to sell Spamway! Yes, that wonderful line of products made from spam, and spam-related meat products. I just need to get twenty friends to sign up with the company as associates, with each of them signing up twenty friends! Would you like to be my Australian associate? : ) Truly effective anti-aging drugs and especially genetic treatments will be very expensive in the beginning. But over time hopefully the price should drop quite a bit. One reason for this is that huge profits can be made by selling in large volume. Wal-Mart is proof of this business concept! Also, when the patents expire the competition will be able to move in. This will definitely drive the price down. Of course it is common practice now for drug companies to slightly alter drugs and then repatent it! Very tricky, these drug companies... Ultimately, I think you will always have to "pay through the nose" for the latest cutting edge biotech and pharmaceutical methods to fight aging. But if you use the cutting edge methods from let's say five or ten years in the past you will be paying much less. The results may not be as impressive, but it will be far better then nothing. And remember, at least you will using medical technology which has been thoroughly tried and tested! The millionaire with access to the "finest" new treatment may be in for a nasty surprise if something goes haywire. you continue: Even with government healthcare in some countries, anti-ageing drugs will most likely never be put on public health schemes. (end) It will most likely take a LONG time! I do think in time we will see it though. As the "swell" of the Singularity washes over history, I think we will see A.I., nanotech and biotech making possible serious life-extension for public health schemes. I would say we have another three or four decades till that time comes. I do believe that at a certain point catastrophic shockwaves will tear through society if such treatments are not made affordable to at least the middle class. This may happen when every "modest" millionaire on the planet can have decades or even centuries of healthy, vital years added to their life, though no one else can afford it. Joseph Haldeman wrote the novel "Buying Time" with this very plotline in mind. The immortals of his novel lived in fear of their lives. But I believe things will move along fast enough that the following scenario will not happen. Toby, you need to read the books "The Spike" and "The Last Mortal Generation" by your countryman Damien Broderick. It gives an excellent and very exciting outline of what is coming down the road for humanity. best wishes, John 2,000,000,000 Web Pages--you only need 1. Save time with My Lycos. http://my.lycos.com Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=18722