Can human life be extended with a pill?

Scientists in the United States of America are conducting a trial into dog health that could extend their lifespan by two to four years by simply taking a single pill. 

The Dog Aging Project at the University of Washington started their tests in 2017 to see if the anti-rejection medicine Rapamycin could help dogs live longer. The drug Rapamycin has an anti-inflammatory effect and helps cells get rid of waste. 

It is currently being used to help humans accept kidneys after a transplant and it has been found to increase the lifespan of mice by up to 25%.

READ: Meet Bunny, the talking dog inspiring scientific research

A start-up company called Cellular Longevity Inc is also developing treatments that extend the life span of dogs, while also making them more active in their later years. 

Should these treatments work in canines, the company hopes that regulators and consumers will be more open to similar techniques being used on humans.

Celine Halioua, 26, spoke to Bloomberg about their research and techniques.

“Dogs are unquestionably considered the best model of human ageing,” said Halioua, who studied neuroscience and worked for a longevity-focused venture capital fund. “We have co-evolved with them, and they have a shared environment with us. They also develop age-related diseases over time. If we can do this for dogs, people will want it, too.” 

If the techniques or pills became available for humans, would you want to live longer? 

Let us know in the quiz below:

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