Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle Healthy Aging and Longevity Research Institute have embarked on a new research regimen to determine the effects of potential drugs on optimizing the healthspans of our canine companions. The scientists, who are working with a small pilot group of 30 dogs aged 6 to 9, are anxious to determine the effect of the drug rapamycin on canine lives.
Rapamycin, which has been proven to prolong healthy, productive years of mice in clinical trials, has been popularly accepted as a potential drug for optimizing human healthspans, but has yet to be officially proven through clinical trials. The study, which was able to both extend the breadth of life for mice, maintains a few mysteries as to precisely why this event occurred.
Experts note that until the effects of these drugs is properly understood, dog-lovers everywhere should focus on healthy diets and playful lifestyles for their pets.
The whole situation, however absurd it may seem, raises a number of policy questions that do affect pet owners everywhere. As the demand for increasing the number of healthy, productive years in human lives rises, the demand for pet lives will no doubt do the same. What will the availability of pharmaceuticals for pet life extension be like? Will pet owners have to consult a veterinary professional to obtain “permission” to purchase and administer these drugs to their pets – or will access be more liberal? Finally, what are the ramifications, if the same drugs that require a medical prescription for human use become popularly used and medically proven to support increasing the quality of your pet’s life? Who would oversee the approval of pet owner purchase of such drugs – veterinarians, medical professionals, pharmacists, all of the above, or a new entity entirely?
The question of public policy on this issue is vast, and only time will tell what will come of it. What we do know is that the policies will be pressing (and more than a bit unusual) and as they come along, we here at the Global Healthspan Policy Institute will be there to make sure your best interests are accounted for.
