AMA journal of ethics最新文献

Advances in public health, medicine, and technology since the mid-19th century have redefined what is considered "natural" for human beings. This article situates contemporary geroscience in that historical context. The development of gerotherapies must be guided by historical insight, ethical foresight, and a commitment to justice. Since extending lifespans has important societal consequences, how aging research will affect future generations should be prioritized. Equitable access to gerotherapies, as well as an emphasis on social responsibility and the influence of community on health and longevity, must remain central to any vision of the future of aging.

This article argues that inequitable access to interventions capable of dramatically extending human lifespans would undermine individual and collective upkeep of civic virtue. Specifically, intervention maldistribution that normalizes the expectation of differential lifespans based on socioeconomic status undermines the moral agency of persons living with poverty and the commonality of lifespan experiences, such as milestones and events. As a result of their greater access to interventions that significantly increase lifespan, those with wealth might be tempted to regard persons living with poverty as biologically distinct, physiologically inferior, and less deserving of moral consideration than themselves.

Documenting one's assessment of a patient's physical appearance during a clinical encounter is regarded as a key element in a clinician's overall judgment of a patient's health. This article considers ethically and clinically relevant uses and misuses of such appraisals in clinical practice when applied to judgments of a patient's agedness. Despite being a possible invitation for negative clinician bias, such appraisals should be part of clinical encounters and training.

Pursuit of longevity has become both a biomedical frontier and a booming consumer enterprise. Popular "anti-aging" products-ranging from dietary supplements to skin care and hormone therapies-are commonly promoted as slowing or even reversing aging. At the same time, scientific advances in geroscience are yielding candidate gerotherapeutics and biomarkers for aging that will increasingly generate questions about their applicability, utility, safety, and ethical integration into care. While geroscience holds promise for extending health span, its impact will depend on how this knowledge is integrated into practice and aligned with individual values and priorities, health equity, and prevention of age-related conditions across the lifespan. This article explores the implications of geroscience, particularly for the care of older adults, by examining clinicians' role in ethical incorporation of gerotherapeutics in practice and concludes by making systems-level recommendations.

Advances in public health, medicine, and technology since the mid-19th century have redefined what is considered "natural" for human beings. This article situates contemporary geroscience in that historical context. The development of gerotherapies must be guided by historical insight, ethical foresight, and a commitment to justice. Since extending lifespans has important societal consequences, how aging research will affect future generations should be prioritized. Equitable access to gerotherapies, as well as an emphasis on social responsibility and the influence of community on health and longevity, must remain central to any vision of the future of aging.

This commentary on a case considers how clinicians should help patients interpret results of tests that might be personally meaningful but not clinically actionable. Tests of biological age, for example, can easily lead to patient misunderstandings that can increase risks of psychological harm and make age-related discrimination seem justifiable. This commentary suggests that companies offering epigenetic testing should be more transparent about these tests' reliability and limitations.