MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

International Parliamentary Cooperation Initiative

for Healthy Ageing and Longevity

Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, Vilnius

12 June 2026

The Parties to this Memorandum of Understanding,

Recognising that population ageing represents one of the defining demographic transformations of the twenty-first century, with profound implications for public health systems, social protection, economic productivity, and intergenerational solidarity;

Acknowledging that the global burden of age-related disease and disability imposes escalating human, social, and fiscal costs that demand a paradigm shift from reactive treatment towards proactive prevention, early intervention, and the promotion of healthy life years across the entire life course;

Noting that despite the urgency and magnitude of the ageing challenge, there remains a persistent deficit of dedicated parliamentary policy-making frameworks for the systematic promotion of healthy ageing and longevity;

Convinced that effective policy responses require international, cross-party, and cross-departmental collaboration rooted in the principle of “Health in All Policies” and informed by the best available scientific evidence;

Recalling the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030), the WHO Global Strategy and Action Plan on Ageing and Health, the Sustainable Development Goals, and relevant regional frameworks including the European Pillar of Social Rights;

Affirming the right to health as enshrined in Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and acknowledging the emerging discourse on the right to and necessity of healthy ageing and longevity;

Agreeing that achieving long and healthy life for all people is a high humanitarian value, for the individual and for the society, without sectorial distinctions, unifying all of humanity for a common ethical goal, and therefore representing a high individual and social priority;

Have reached the following understanding:

Article 1 – Establishment and Name

1.1 The Parties hereby agree to establish the International Parliamentary Cooperation Initiative for Healthy Ageing and Longevity (hereinafter “the Initiative”).

1.2 The Initiative is inaugurated on the occasion of the International Conference “Healthy Ageing and Health in All Policies – A Strategic Choice for the State”, convened at the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, Vilnius, on 12 June 2026, as part of the Healthy Ageing and Longevity Assembly 2026.

Article 2 – Purpose

2.1 The Initiative shall serve as a structured, international platform through which parliamentarians, experts, and civil-society actors collaborate to develop, exchange, promote, implement, and evaluate policies and programmes for healthy ageing and longevity at the national, European, and global levels.

2.2 The Initiative shall operate on the founding principles of:

• International, cross-party, and cross-departmental cooperation;
• Health in All Policies as a horizontal governmental priority;
• Evidence-based policy-making informed by geroscience and public-health research;
• Inclusivity across the full life course, from childhood health to healthy ageing.

Article 3 – Objectives

3.1 The Initiative shall pursue the following strategic objectives:

• Position health as a horizontal priority and a criterion in major policy decisions across all government departments;
• Agree on practical mechanisms for Health in All Policies, including ex ante and ex post health-impact assessment of legislation;
• Identify and advance priority policy areas for 2026–2035 where cross-sectoral action can deliver the greatest gains in healthy life years;
• Strengthen prevention, early intervention, healthy lifestyle, biomedical research, technological development, and public education for healthy ageing and longevity as investments with measurable social, economic, and humanitarian returns;
• Promote the progressive realisation of the right to and necessity of healthy ageing and longevity within national and international legal frameworks.

Article 4 – Working Tasks

The Initiative shall advance its objectives through the following working tasks:

(a) Legislative exchange: Developing, sharing, and evaluating legislative practices and model provisions across jurisdictions;

(b) Prevention policy: Strengthening prevention-oriented policies encompassing primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention across the life course;

(c) Research, development, and education: Advocating for increased public and private investment in public health improvement, geroscience, translational ageing research, health-professional training, and public health literacy;

(d) Healthy life years: Developing indicator frameworks and policy benchmarks to measure and increase healthy life expectancy;

(e) International parliamentary cooperation: Building sustained cooperative relationships between parliaments, parliamentary committees, and inter-parliamentary organisations at the European and global levels.

Article 5 – Policy Areas

The Initiative shall address the following policy areas, without limitation:

• Research and innovation in healthy longevity, including healthy lifestyle promotion, geroscience, diagnostic metrics development, assistive technologies, preventive and regenerative medicine;
• Data, standards, regulation, and health technology assessment to ensure that emerging interventions for healthy ageing and longevity meet rigorous evidence thresholds before adoption;
• Ecosystem development and market uptake, including public-private partnerships, regulatory sandboxes, and innovative financing mechanisms for healthy longevity-oriented products and services;
• Societal, economic, and policy impact assessment, including fiscal projections of healthy ageing scenarios, labour-market adaptation, healthcare and pension-system sustainability;
• Education, skills, and public engagement, encompassing professional training for the longevity workforce, health literacy campaigns, and citizen participation in policy design.

Article 6 – Working Methodologies

To fulfil its tasks, the Initiative shall:

• Establish collaborative working groups, task forces, committees, and subcommittees organised by objective, task, or policy area;
• Share best practices across borders, including successful legislative language, committee models, institutional designs, governance approaches, and public-private partnership frameworks;
• Facilitate access to technical, analytical, and scientific support from expert networks and research institutions;
• Develop or adapt ready-to-use legislative proposals, policy toolkits, and model regulations;
• Convene stakeholders—including researchers, industry representatives, healthcare professionals, civil-society organisations, and patient groups—around concrete legislative or institutional initiatives;
• Organise regular conferences, hearings, and inter-parliamentary exchanges to maintain momentum and public visibility.

Article 7 – Membership and Participation

7.1 The Initiative shall comprise the following categories of participants:

• Members of Parliaments: Current members of national or sub-national parliaments, or of the European Parliament or other inter-parliamentary bodies, who endorse this MoU;
• Former Members of Parliaments: Former parliamentarians who retain an active commitment to healthy ageing and longevity policy;
• Experts: Researchers, clinicians, public-health professionals, and other specialists invited to provide scientific, technical, or policy expertise;
• Civil-Society Partners: Organisations, networks, and high-level public figures contributing to the Initiative’s objectives.

7.2 A Coordination Group, composed of founding signatories and such additional members as may be co-opted, in accordance with Article 10, shall be responsible for the operational management, communication, and strategic direction of the Initiative.

Article 8 – Coordination and Secretariat

8.1 The Parties shall designate a Coordinating Secretariat, to assist the Coordination Group, to support the operational activities of the Initiative, including the organisation of meetings, maintenance of records, circulation of documents, and liaison with external stakeholders.

8.2 The Coordination Group shall meet at least twice per year, in person or by videoconference, and shall report annually to all Parties on the Initiative’s activities and progress.

Article 9 – Duration, Amendment, and Termination

9.1 This MoU shall take effect on 12 June 2026 (the “Commencement Date”) and shall remain in force for an initial period of three (3) years.

9.2 This MoU shall be automatically renewed for successive periods of two (2) years unless terminated in accordance with Article 9.5.

9.3 This MoU may be amended or supplemented by mutual written agreement of a simple majority of the Parties.

9.4 Any Party may withdraw from this MoU by providing six (6) months’ advance written notice to the Coordination Group. Withdrawal by individual Parties shall not affect the continued validity of this MoU among the remaining Parties.

9.5 This MoU may be terminated in its entirety through mutual consultation of all Parties, with six (6) months’ advance written notice.

Article 10 – Accession

10.1 This MoU is open for accession by additional parties at any time during the period of its validity.

10.2 Accession shall be effected by written endorsement of this MoU and shall require the approval of a simple majority of the existing Parties.

Article 11 – Legal Nature

11.1 This MoU expresses the shared intentions of the Parties to collaborate on the promotion of healthy ageing and longevity. It does not create legally or politically binding obligations, does not establish a legal entity, and does not give rise to financial commitments unless separately agreed in writing.

11.2 Nothing in this MoU shall be construed as limiting the sovereign right of any parliament or member of parliament to act independently within their constitutional mandate.

Article 12 – Working Languages

The working language of the Initiative shall be English. Documents may additionally be produced in the official languages of the participating Parties where appropriate and feasible.

Article 13 – Depositary

The original of this MoU shall be deposited with the Coordinating Secretariat and shall be made available in electronic form to all Parties and acceding parties.

SIGNATURES

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, duly authorised, have endorsed this Memorandum of Understanding on the dates indicated below.

—  Members of Parliaments —

Name: ___________________________________________________________

Organisation: ______________________________________________________

Signature: ________________________________________________________

Date: ____________________________________________________________

Name: ___________________________________________________________

Organisation: ______________________________________________________

Signature: ________________________________________________________

Date: ____________________________________________________________

—  Former Members of Parliaments —

Name: ___________________________________________________________

Organisation: ______________________________________________________

Signature: ________________________________________________________

Date: ____________________________________________________________

Name: ___________________________________________________________

Organisation: ______________________________________________________

Signature: ________________________________________________________

Date: ____________________________________________________________

—  Experts —

Name: ___________________________________________________________

Organisation: ______________________________________________________

Signature: ________________________________________________________

Date: ____________________________________________________________

Name: ___________________________________________________________

Organisation: ______________________________________________________

Signature: ________________________________________________________

Date: ____________________________________________________________

—  Civil-Society Partners —

Name: ___________________________________________________________

Organisation: ______________________________________________________

Signature: ________________________________________________________

Date: ____________________________________________________________

Name: ___________________________________________________________

Organisation: ______________________________________________________

Signature: ________________________________________________________

Date: ____________________________________________________________

The MoU is also available at https://www.youtube.com/@ilgaam%C5%BEi%C5%A1kumoambasadoriai/posts

The open access position paper “The need to increase support for healthy ageing and longevity research in the EU by establishing a Coordination and Support Programme on Healthy Ageing and Longevity” has been published in Mechanisms of Ageing and Development!
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mad.2026.112187

This position paper is co-authored by over 80 leading researchers and experts on aging and longevity, representing over 100 leading organizations in the aging field (national and international associations, research institutes, research foundations) from 28 Horizon Europe member and associated countries. It is thus the widest endorsed position paper for healthy longevity promotion in Europe. The position paper was initiated by ILA, and includes many ILA federated and individual members.

Full citation:

Stambler I, Tietz-Latza A, Schumacher B, Geiger H, Morrison H, Tüscher O, Fuellen G, Meisel R, Simm A, Pfeiffer A, Steinhage A, Popa-Wagner A, Wagner W, Cornely O, Krause M, Mitrou G, Kyriazis M, Scheibye-Knudsen M, Rattan S, Siow R, Weinkove D, Bhattacharjee S, Coeurnelle D, Invidia N, Marino N, Illario M, Caruso C, Tasciotti E, Schena F, Cesaroni F, De Rosa S, Neri F, Bulavin D, Rowell J, Vellas B, Debonneuil E, Lens-Pechakova L, Cordeiro JL, Díaz-Rubio E, Cordón Muro M, Marín M, Santana Gil C, Guillen S, Corella D, Barata P, Pilar Rauter A, Sousa M, Petersson L, Ulfhake B, Pīrāgs V, Kistkins S, Sjundjukovs E, Bliznuks D, Valius L, Valdonė Alšauskė S, Arredondo MT, Postula M, Berkovics I, Kaminski K, Santuccione Chadha A, Bischof E, Puiatti A, Prodan R, Blănculescu I, Frasineanu L, Sandu AA, Georgieva M, Marchev ASr, Marchev AJr, Tchernev A, Lipovšek M, Horváth D, Sourij H, Vankova H, Visser M, Matuła K, Lushchak O, Dikhtiarenko Z, Kebede A, Sandic-Spaho R, Adams M, Gonos ES. The need to increase support for healthy ageing and longevity research in the EU by establishing a Coordination and Support Programme on Healthy Ageing and Longevity. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development. 231:112187, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mad.2026.112187

We will continue leveraging this position paper to advocate for policies for healthy longevity research, development, education and application, in Europe and internationally! Thanks to all the contributors!

The original position paper and endorsements are gathered in the google doc linked below. Though the article is published, adding endorsements on behalf of your organizations, at the end of the google doc, is still welcome!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/Healthy Ageing and Longevity Research in the EU – endorsed/edit

Healthy Ageing & Longevity Assembly 2026 Lithuania

Aims

Building on the ideas and conclusions of the international conference “Towards Healthy Longevity,” held in the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on 19 September 2025, the next stage – the “Healthy Ageing and Longevity Assembly 2026,” will take place on 8–14 June 2026 in Lithuania.

This Assembly aims to become an international platform, bringing together Lithuanian as well as European and global experts, institutions, international organizations, academics, and social partners to jointly shape a sustainable vision for health, social well-being, and active ageing in Lithuania, in the EU and partner countries.

The Assembly will encourage dialogue and cooperation between science, policy, health care, social services, education, technology, and business, leading to practical recommendations and partnerships in Lithuania, the European Union, EU partner countries and beyond.

Preliminary Program (To be updated. Details about registration for each event will be published later on)

The Assembly is designed as a series of events, each with a slightly different focus, altogether encompassing and stimulating the entire healthy aging and longevity ecosystem:

Monday, 8 June 2026

Opening press conference in the Lithuanian Parliament – the Seimas, Vilnius.

Tuesday, 9 June 2026

International conference “Healthy Longevity Medicine: Clinical Practice and Prevention”

Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU), Kaunas.

The program will present the most advanced practical experience and knowledge in the field of healthy longevity medicine, primarily for physicians and healthcare professionals.

Wednesday, 10 June 2026

Longevity Science in Communities and Study Visits

Community events in various locations across Lithuania – in Vilnius, Kaunas, other cities (TBC). Informal public meetings aimed at promoting healthy ageing and longevity.

Thursday, 11 June 2026

International scientific conference “Science of Ageing and Longevity: From fundamental research to implementation”

Lithuanian Academy of Sciences (LMA), Vilnius.

Aim: To inform the broader scientific community and decision-makers about the current state of longevity science in Lithuania and globally, and to outline further directions for developing this field in Lithuania. Focus: the latest advances in ageing and longevity science – primarily for researchers and students.

Friday, 12 June 2026

High-Level Policy Forum “Health In All Policies“

Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, Vilnius.

Focus: New policies and programs for the development of healthy longevity in Lithuania and internationally – for researchers, health professionals, decision-makers and the public interested in promoting healthy longevity.

Objectives:

• Position health as a horizontal government priority and a criterion in major policy decisions.
• Agree on practical mechanisms for Health in All Policies, including ex ante and ex post health impact assessment.
• Identify priority policy areas for 2026–2030 where cross-sector action can deliver the largest gains in healthy life years.
• Strengthen prevention, early intervention, research and development,  as investments that deliver measurable social and economic returns.

Saturday–Sunday, 13–14 June 2026

Innovation and Partnership Weekend

Weekend events at Lithuanian resort areas, cities, and communities, including at Eglės Sanatorija in Birštonas, showcasing new health technologies and therapies, practical workshops, and opportunities for partnership-building among participants.

Organisers and Partners (to be expanded)

• Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania
• Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania
• Lithuanian Academy of Sciences
• Lithuanian University of Health Sciences
• Vilnius University

International Partners (to be expanded) Proud that International Longevity Alliance (ILA) as well as ILA federated members – Longevity Alliance Baltic (LAB) and Vetek (Seniority) Association are among the partners

• Vetek (Seniority) Association – the Movement for Longevity and Quality of Life
• International Longevity Alliance (ILA)
• Longevity Alliance Baltic
• Embassy of Israel in Lithuania

On May 15, there is a significant date in the longevity world – the 180^th anniversary of the birth of Elie Metchnikoff (15 May 1845 – 15 July 1916) – a Nobel Laureate, a founder of cell immunology, and THE founder of the modern science of aging and longevity – GERONTOLOGY, the person who coined the very term “gerontology” in 1903, and paved the way toward its development, from the recognition of aging as a medical condition, to specific areas of interventions for healthy longevity – such as probiotics and microbiome treatments, immunotherapies of aging (vaccines against aging), general healthy longevity promoting and rejuvenative lifestyle regimens.

https://www.longevityhistory.com/read-the-book-online/#_Toc328319983

It is beneficial for the proponents of a field to commemorate the field’s founding figures, not just to honor their legacy, but to do some “soul searching” of the successes and failures along the way, and seek ways toward future development and improvement. 

In 2015, on Metchnikoff’s 170^th anniversary, many representatives of the longevity community, in several countries, commemorated Metchnikoff’s contribution, with educational events and publications, creating the special “International Metchnikoff Day” campaign around May 15, which helped build up the longevity community and drew additional interest to the longevity field, including the professional community, general public and the press. See an overview of the “Metchnikoff Day” on his 170^th anniversary on 15 May 2015, and yet another celebration of the Metchnikoff Day on his 175th anniversary around 15 May 2020.

https://www.longevityforall.org/170th-anniversary-of-elie-metchnikoff-the-founder-of-gerontology-may-15-2015/

https://www.longevityforall.org/anniversary-of-the-founder-of-gerontology-elie-metchnikoff-lessons-from-history-and-hope-for-the-future/

On May 15, 2025, we mark the Metchnikoff Day on his 180^th anniversary. Few special events and publications commemorate this occasion. Many other events and topics command global attention. Yet, this day is an opportunity to encourage the historical evaluation, analyzing and strategizing the longevity field, building the longevity community and drawing additional interest. We can express our gratitude to the historical creators of healthy longevity science and medicine, and boost the hope of emulating and hopefully surpassing their achievements!

https://www.longevityforall.org/happy-metchnikoff-day-may-15-2025-the-180th-anniversary-of-elie-metchnikoff-the-founder-of-gerontology/

The “UN World Population Prospects 2024” is now finally published (on 12 July 2024), including real-life data on global life expectancy for 2023 and 2024.

The great news, according to this report:

“Following the COVID-19 pandemic, global life expectancy is rising once again [!]

Globally, life expectancy at birth reached 73.3 years in 2024 [73.17 in 2023], an increase of 8.4 years since 1995. Further reductions in mortality are projected to result in an average longevity of around 77.4 years globally in 2054.

Since 2022, life expectancy has returned to levels observed before the emergence of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in nearly all countries and areas. At the height of the pandemic (during 2020 and 2021), global life expectancy at birth fell to 70.9 years, down from 72.6 in 2019.”

Thus, globally, in 2024 the life expectancy increased by 0.7 years, compared to the pre-COVID 2019: from 72.6 to 73.3!

Congratulations World! We can now all resume our progress toward decreasing mortality and increasing life expectancy, toward practical life extension for all.

Data

https://population.un.org/wpp/

Data portal (interactive)

https://population.un.org/dataportal/data/indicators/61/locations/901,902,1503,941,1500,900/start/2019/end/2024/table/pivotbylocation?df=e72c321c-eed3-4124-84cb-50130ae22ee6

World Population Prospects 2024: Summary of Results

https://desapublications.un.org/publications/world-population-prospects-2024-summary-results

https://desapublications.un.org/file/20622/download

https://ourworldindata.org/un-population-2024-revision

As is the ILA tradition since 2013, members of the international longevity community are organizing the Longevity Day and Month campaign of October. So if you organize or participate in events for the Longevity Month, please let it be known, and we will publicize all the events together and encourage each other and the entire international longevity community.

https://www.longevityhistory.com/longevity-day-and-longevity-month/

In 2023, meetups and public demonstrations in support of longevity science were organized by ILA in over a dozen countries:

https://longevityalliance.org/new/organizing-events-for-the-international-longevity-day-month-campaign-in-october/

Here are some of the events taking place in 2024:

Israel

On the Longevity Day and the Beginning of the Longevity Month – October 1, the Vetek Association organizes a meetup in Tel Aviv focusing on longevity advocacy.

https://www.longevityisrael.org/meetups/

Some photos from the event

The Longevity Nation conference is organized by the Vetek association in Bar-Ilan University, Israel, at the end of the Longevity Month, on October 28-31. 

https://longevitynation.org/

https://www.longevityisrael.org/longevity-nation-conference-on-october-28-31-in-bar-ilan-university/

United States

Healthspan Action Coalition (HSAC) organizes a LIVE EVENT: Join us on Oct. 1 in San Francisco, CA as we celebrate International Longevity Day 2024. Click to learn more & see you there!

https://healthspanaction.org/join-us-to-celebrate-2024-international-longevity-day-october-1st/

Spain

Madrid

The Longevity Day will be celebrated on October 1 in Madrid.

DÍA INTERNACIONAL DE LA LONGEVIDAD
Madrid como una Zona Azul
MARTES 1 DE OCTUBRE: 10:00 – 21:30, MADRID
Ilustre Colegio Oficial de Médicos de Madrid (ICOMEM)
C/ Santa Isabel, 51 – Madrid 28012

https://www.meetup.com/madridsingularity/events/300266303/

Alicante

The Spanish Institute of Lifestyle Medicine and Healthy Longevity, together with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine and the European Lifestyle Medicine Council will be holding a European Symposium on LM and healthy longevity in the city of Alicante (Spain) on the 7th, 8th and 9th of October 2024.
https://bslm.org.uk/events/european-lifestyle-medicine-symposium/
https://britishsocietyoflifestyemedicine.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/ELMC+resources/FINAL+ELMS+Brochure+2+-+Compr.pdf
https://www.iemev.com/

Longevity World Forum takes place in Alicante on October 17-18

https://www.longevityworldforum.com/

Latvia

A meetup is organized on October 1, in Riga, Latvia, by Longevity Alliance Baltic

https://longevitybaltics.org/

Longevity Alliance Baltic’s (LAB) organizes its first longevity workshop in Riga, Latvia! In honour of International Longevity Day, they are hosting a small gathering focused on healthy human longevity, with engaging talks, tea, and networking. ​This free, 90-minute workshop will feature insights from Dr. Ilia Stambler, Yuri Ostrinski, and Dr. Ugis Kletnieks, who will explore the impact of physical exercise on human longevity and discuss the hallmarks of aging.

Full details and registration:

https://lu.ma/2y4kjlyl

Some photos from the event

Romania

Bucharest

 Longevity Day Bucharest, 1st of October

Join us in celebrating International Longevity Day, a global initiative since 2013 that promotes healthy longevity and well-being. Each year, dozens of countries, including Israel, Belgium, Germany, Spain, the US, and many more, host events to raise awareness about living longer, healthier lives. This year’s event will feature engaging scientific talks by experts in aging research, health technology, and the longevity industry. Don’t miss the chance to learn about the latest innovations and insights in this exciting field!

https://www.meetup.com/bucharest-longevity/events/303648279/?eventOrigin=home_next_event_you_are_hosting

Some photos from the event

A series of events was organized by the Romanian Association of Genetics and Personalized Medicine (AGMP – Asociația de Genetică și Medicină Personalizată): On October 3, in conjunction with the Longevity Month, they launched the Longevity Clinic in Bucharest, the first longevity clinic in Romania. In parallel, they have a project underway – the Longevity Map in Romania, initiated by the Scientific Senate of the Dan Voiculescu Foundation, a member of the largest media trust in Romania. On October 9, they presented at the Romanian Academy the preliminary data of the analyzes of subjects aged between 85 and 95 years.

On October 22 and 23, 2024 Longevity Expo Forum Fest 2024, takes place in Bucharest, Romania.

https://www.antena3.ro/life/longevity-expo-forum-fest-2024-inovatii-si-solutii-pentru-o-viata-mai-lunga-724429.html

Timisoara

October is International Longevity Month and we are celebrating it by organizing two longevity technology centered community events: a meetup exploring the AI-powered platforms for research and health advisory service delivery in the evening of Friday, Oct 4th, and a hands-on workshop in the first half of Saturday offering those interested the possibility ”to play” with programming and usage of such longevity platforms.

Details https://meetu.ps/e/Nxwg4/vkYMY/i

Germany

Berlin International Longevity Day Meetup. October 1

Join us to show support for longevity research and lifespan extension. We will have conversations about the state of longevity research, advocacy, bottlenecks, personal longevity, biohacking, AI, and the future of humanity in a world where death is optional.
You’ll find out about initiatives that are bringing together resources and knowledge from all parts of the longevity world, connecting them, and creating new partnerships between patients, scientists, supporters, and decision-makers to help the field grow.

https://lu.ma/e2703wlf

This is also a pre-inauguration for zelar.city – a longevity pop-up city residency from Oct 5th – Nov 17

Rostock

The first Longevity Day Rostock will happen on October 24. Face2face only:
https://tinyurl.com/LongDayRostock 

Switzerland

A longevity day event was held on October 1 in Geneva, Switzerland. The Futuratinow consulting firm, AFT-Technoprog and the Geneva School of Management joined forces to offer a conference on the implications of “radically increased longevity” for businesses.

https://www.hesge.ch/heg/ecole/evenements/2024/longevite-entreprises-opportunites-futures

Italy

A series of exemplary Longevity Month events – high level conferences and accompanying media publications were organized by The Italian Longevity League (ILL), on October 5 in Pennadomo, on October 9-11 in Ancona, on October 18 in Udine.

https://www.italianlongevityleague.com/

https://www.italianlongevityleague.com/longevityday

Bulgaria

Resolution announcement on longevity on October 1, from the Vanguard Scientific Instruments in Management (VSIM) conference, Ravda, Bulgaria. The conference itself (co-organized by International Longevity Alliance) takeы place on September 10-15, with the special section on Longevity on September 11.

https://vsim-conf.info/

Slovenia

On Tuesday, 8 October 2024, the Society for Vital Life Extension of Slovenia is organizing Conference on Healthy Longevity. The conference will be hybrid, happening live and over the Internet. The live event will take place in the Great Lecture Hall of Jožef Stefan Institute on Jamova cesta 39 in Ljubljana. It wil be organized as a part of the Information Society 2024 multiconference. The multiconference is an annual event hosting various conferences on technological and societal issues for 27 years. It is organized at Jožef Stefan Institute, the premier Slovenian institution for research on natural science and technology.

https://podaljsevanje-zivljenja.si/en/

Sweden

The Nordic Aging Society presents:
Symposium on Aging, Mon-Tue 21 21-22 October, 2024
Venue: Nobel Forum, Nobels Väg 1, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

https://nordicaging.org/

Nigeria

The International Longevity Summit (ILS) organized by TAFFDS AFROLONGEVITY will take place at the University of Lagos, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria, on October 24th – October 25th, 2024

https://www.conference.taffds.org/

Lithuania

Sleepfest is being organizing in Vilnius, with a focus on the vital role of sleep for longevity on October 26.

https://www.sleepfest.lt/

UK

To celebrate the Longevity Month, the ILA federated member Live Forever Club is organising a Longevity Cafe meetup in Reading (UK) on 29th October

https://www.meetup.com/longevity-cafe/events/303915590/

Some good news about life expectancy, at least for some countries. After significant declines in 2020-2021, the life expectancies are beginning to strongly improve in 2022! (The data will be added as life expectancy data for 2022 are just beginning to be published.)

According to the recent “Health at a Glance 2023. OECD INDICATORS” (November 7, 2023) based on Eurostat data:

“Provisional Eurostat data for 2022 point to a strong rebound in life expectancy in many Central and Eastern European countries, but a more mixed picture for other European countries, including reductions of half a year or more in Iceland, Finland and Norway” [as well as a few months decline in Belgium, France and some other countries, where life expectancies were traditionally high].

Here are some of the positive examples of the life expectancy increase:

According to OECD data, in 2022, with the average life expectancy of 82.9 Israel fully recovered to the life expectancy level of 2019 (82.9), after about 3 months decline in life expectancy during 2020-2021 (82.7 in 2020, 82.6 in 2021). As before COVID, Israel is in the top 10 countries in life expectancy.

In 2022, Baltic countries showed a large increase in life expectancy (over a year up to 2 years):

In 2022, in Lithuania, the life expectancy was 76, approaching the pre-Covid 2019 value of 76.5, rising almost 2 years compared to the lowest point in 2021, after almost 2.5 years decline in life expectancy in 2020-2021 (75.1 in 2020, 74.2 in 2021).

In Latvia, the life expectancy in 2022 was 74.8, getting closer to the 2019 value of 75.7 (still almost one year lower than in 2019), rising over 1.5 years compared to the lowest point in 2021, after about 2.5 years of decline in 2020-2021 (75.1 in 2020, 73.1 in 2021).

Estonia, with LE of 78.2 in 2022, got closer to the 2019 LE level of 79, with about one year improvement compared to the lowest point in 2021, after an almost 2 years decline in LE in 2020-2021 (78.9 in 2020, 77.2 in 2021).

In Bulgaria, the country that experienced one of the world’s greatest declines in life expectancy of almost 4 years in 2020-2021, from 75.1 in 2019 to 73.6 in 2020 and to 71.4 in 2021, the life expectancy is beginning to improve, reaching 74.3 in 2022 (an almost 3 years improvement in life expectancy during one year).

In Sweden (with all the global discussions about “the correct anti-covid measures”) the life expectancy remained almost exactly the same (83.2 in 2019, 82.4 in 2020, 83.1 in 2021, 83.1 in 2022).

In China, the life expectancy slowly, but gradually improved by 0.5 years total, since 2019 through 2022 (77.7 in 2019; 78 in 2020, 78.1 in 2021, 78.2 in 2022).

Chile, Costa Rica and Colombia also showed a gradual net improvement in life expectancy from 2019 through 2022: 0.6 years for Chile, 0.4 years for Costa Rica, and 0.3 years for Colombia.

Luxembourg, despite the initial decline in life expectancy in 2020, had a net increase of 0.3 years from 2019 through 2022, reaching 83 years (one of the highest in Europe and in the world).

In the US, in 2022, the life expectancy increased by 1.1 years to 77.5, compared to 76.4 in 2021. Though, after the life expectancy decline of 2.4 years in 2020-2021, the life expectancy in 2022 is still 1.3 years short of the pre-COVID values of 2019, when it was 78.8, and now stands at about the level of 2003.

And many more positive and encouraging examples of life expectancy improvement can be found in many countries, in the data below. Hopefully the life expectancy and healthy life expectancy will continue to increase throughout the world, thanks to improving public health, medical research, development, education and application.

Indeed, it is encouraging to see the significant improvement in life expectancy in 2022, in many countries, following a dramatic global decline of almost 2 years of life expectancy in 2020-2021. Technically, countries that had more than one year increase in life expectancy during one year, experienced “longevity escape velocity” – if just for that one year, showing that rapid improvements are possible.

Still the trends of improvement are only emerging, and only in a part of the countries. Still the pre-covid levels are not yet fully reached in the vast majority of countries. Still the global decline compared to 2019 needs to be recognized, and strong efforts for the promotion and implementation of healthy longevity need to be made for the life expectancy and healthy life expectancy to fully return to the pre-crisis levels of 2019, and then hopefully resume the progress.

References:

https://www.oecd.org/health/health-at-a-glance/

https://data.oecd.org/healthstat/life-expectancy-at-birth.htm

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tps00205/default/table?lang=en

https://www.statista.com/statistics/236583/global-life-expectancy-by-country/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy#OECD_(2022)

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2023/20231129.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr031.pdf
https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/sites/www.un.org.development.desa.pd/files/wpp2022_summary_of_results.pdf
https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/content/World-Population-Prospects-2022
https://population.un.org/dataportal/

https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/topics/indicator-groups/indicator-group-details/GHO/life-expectancy-and-healthy-life-expectancy

This year, as every year since 2013, there is an initiative to organize events and publications in support of healthy longevity R&D and education, during the Longevity Day or Longevity Month – starting from October 1 (the International Day of Older People, sometimes also called in the longevity community the “Longevity Day”) through the entire month of October (the “Longevity Month”). Such a campaign allows the longevity activists to present a united international front, draw the broad public attention to the longevity cause, build up the longevity communities, and exercise and enhance their organizational and outreach capabilities.

Traditionally, the International Longevity Alliance (ILA) took a strong part in promoting the Longevity Day / Month campaign, yet many like-minded organizations joined the efforts, producing hundreds of pro-longevity events in dozens of countries.

Keeping this tradition, longevity activists are encouraged to organize events and publications for the Longevity Day and Month around the world in October. 

(Here are some examples of activities from the past 10 years of the campaign http://www.longevityhistory.com/longevity-day-and-longevity-month/).

This year the ILA recommends placing a focus on organizing live events (that was difficult even last year, but is feasible now), including such public activist events as demonstrations, that have been proven to be effective activist tools to draw attention to a cause for any significant and successful social movement. For this year’s International Longevity Day (October 1) several demonstrations in support of Longevity R&D and Education have been organized in several countries – in Israel, Belgium, Germany, Spain, US.

If you are planning some activities for the longevity day and month (such as outdoors demonstrations or indoors meetups or publications), happy to be in touch to coordinate and publicize together to increase the general interest and impact.

ila-lead@googlegroups.com

Some of the Longevity Day/Month events of October 2023

(As the events took place, the language of planning is changed to the language of happening, including reports and pictures).

Israel

As a part of the Longevity Day/Month campaign, the ILA federated member – the Vetek Association conducts a demonstration on October 1, at 10.00 am (Israel time), at the Democracy Square (Azrieli-Kaplan intersection) in Tel Aviv. The demonstration takes place on October 1, the “International Longevity Day”.

The official theme of the demonstration is: *Raising awareness for healthy longevity*

The topics that we advocate for at the demonstration include: raising the old-age pensions, improving the rights of older persons, as well as enhancing research, development and education for healthy longevity and prevention of aging-related diseases.

The demonstration was initiated by the Vetek Association – the Movement for Longevity and Quality of Life, yet additional organizations and individuals have joined.
We hope that this demonstration will encourage the struggle for the status and health of older people, not only in Israel, but around the world. And indeed, on October 1, the “International Longevity Day”, with the encouragement of the International Longevity Alliance (ILA), there take place partner demonstrations and events in several other countries: Belgium, Spain, Germany, US. We hope for more initiatives. If you organize more demonstrations and other events (live or online) for the Longevity Day/Month, please let us know so we can synergize and publicize together. https://longevityalliance.org/new/organizing-events-for-the-international-longevity-day-month-campaign-in-october/
More details about the Tel Aviv  demonstration (in Hebrew and English)
http://www.longevityisrael.org/demonstration/
https://www.facebook.com/demonstration/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJwvMlZpzfQ

Belgium

A demonstration is organized in Brussels for October 1, starting at 14.00 (CET) by HEALES – Healthy Life Extension Society.

https://heales.org/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmro6o-QfM4

France

In partnership with the event in Brussels, and additional longevity day event takes place on October 1 in Strasbourg by the Technoprog association.

Spain

An additional demonstration took place in New York, organized by the Open Longevity group.

A virtual salon dedicated to the Longevity Day is held on October 1 by the US Transhumanist Party.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-0rVGvJAIY

Canada

In conjunction with the International Longevity Alliance, October 1st is International Longevity Day, and to celebrate, Canadian Longevity Association had a meetup/demonstration.

They meet up by the 3D Toronto sign in Nathan Phillips Square in front of City Hall, Toronto to take a group photo and then go on to have a drink/food and connect & chat.

Now that COVID is well and truly over, this is the relaunch of their monthly longevity meetups.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1168960744061596

https://www.canadianlongevity.ca/

Brazil

October 1st is World Older People’s Day, and to mark the date Brazilian longevity activists get together to talk about how to tackle the main health problems that affect the elderly.
The event is held at the Centro de Lazer Omar Nunes square “Praça Jd Flamboyant” in in Campinas, Brazil.

https://fb.me/e/2Qe38bqxi

Romania

A longevity educational meetup is organized in Bucharest in honor of the Longevity Day, on Sunday, October 1, 2023 at 4:45 PM at Calea Plevnei 122 · București. The meetup educates and discusses on genetics of longevity and the world of large language models (LLMs) and their applications in aging research and personal health. As the organizers state: Celebrate International Longevity Day with us! Since 2013, this day has been marked with events promoting healthy longevity worldwide. Countries like Israel, Belgium, Germany, Spain, and the US are hosting similar events. Let’s come together for this noble cause!

https://www.meetup.com/bucharest-longevity/events/296359511/

Finland

A meetup will be organized in Helsinki on October 1, at 5 pm at Vltava Restaurant, at Elielinaukio 2, 00100 Helsinki, Finland.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FinnishLongevityAlliance

Montenegro 

A Longevity Day meetup will be held in Montenegro. As the organizers say: “Longevity Month will start soon. We are happy to invite all those interested in the topic to meet at the first Longevity Day in Montenegro, on Sunday October 1, at 6 pm, at Restoran Ruzmarin, Tre Canne, bb Donji Bulevar, Budva 85310, Montenegro. Meet to get to know each other, to socialize, to support the community and to discuss why a long and healthy life is awesome. Wear Longevity merch if you have it, we’ll take cool photos.

https://www.facebook.com/events/s/longevity-day–montenegro/2514408125390283/

Slovenia

As part of Longevity Month we are organizing Conference on Healthy Longevity in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

The date is 10th of October. Conference will be hybrid – on the spot and online. There will be renowned international and Slovenian scientists speaking about topics from biology, medicine, entrepreneurship, sociology and philosophy of healthy life extension.

More information can be found on our webpage: https://podaljsevanje-zivljenja.si/en/

China

The International Conference on Aging and Disease (ICAD) of the International Society on Aging and Disease (ISOAD) that will be held in Shanghai on October 27-30, expresses support for the International Longevity Month campaign.

http://www.isoad.org/Data/List/Conference

Australia

As part of the longevity month, a meetup on AI, Brain-Computer Interfaces & Longevity is organized in Sydney on October 5, at 5.30 pm at Level 4, 11 York Street Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/ai-brain-computer-interfaces-longevity-transhumanism-sydney-meetup-tickets-561459258757

Please support the campaign to promote aging research in Europe!

Dear Colleagues,

We have discussed strategies to promote aging research in Europe. We believe that a joint effort of aging researchers in Europe could make an impact particularly with regards to fund basic research on aging. There are massive investments in the private sector especially in the US where they also have the dedicated NIA to promote this area. Would you be interested in supporting such an initiative?

If you would support our initiative, we would ask you to respond to the current online consultation that covers Horizon 2020 evaluation, Horizon Europe mid-term evaluation and Strategic Planning 2025-2027. The Strategic Plan part sets a direction for implementation of strategic and applied research parts of Horizon Europe in 2025-2027 by defining expected impacts and research orientations. 

Deadline is 23^rd February 2023 and it should take around 20 minutes. You need a so called ECAS account to respond. If you don’t have it already you can make one in a few minutes. The account is personal.

We have attach a pdf version of consultation questionnaire that gives you overview of open and closed questions. We also attached the white paper that you need to upload. In this white paper, we have proposed ten points that we think are the most pressing ones and we believe that they could be fully supported by our colleagues in Europe. It is mostly multiple choice type of questions. Please make sure that you respond to these questions, though they seem rather closed, otherwise there is risk that our white paper is not taken seriously.

You should respond to the following parts of the consultation:

A) information about yourself, i.e. your country, background, name etc. NOTE that should tick the box that shows that your input is personal view (page 5 in pdf version).

D) Questionnaire targeting the Strategic Plan 2025-2027. It starts on page 43 in pdf version, and as mentioned you need to answer the questionnaire. It is mostly multiple choice assessment of various field and please just answer in accordance with your personal professional views and knowledge. Page 49-58 are tables focusing on each cluster in Horizon Europe. You may tick the ”no opinion” box under the clusters that you do not work with, i.e. ok that you just express your opinion under the health cluster table. Under the tables there is some opportunity to add text, you may use these fields to pitch elements of the attached white paper, i.e. pitch the aging biology topic.

E) Open questions with opportunity to write your own answers and upload input. There are three open questions that you can respond to, please draw on the points in the white paper. – key lessons learned on a) intervention modes and types of action, b) identification of funding priorities, c) implementation of the programme/projects and procedures and then you upload the white paper. 

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions.

Thanks in advance and best wishes,

Prof. Dr. Björn Schumacher, Prof. Dr. Folkert Kuipers, Prof. Dr. Lene Juel Rasmussen

The future of the ageing European society at stake: Tackling basic mechanisms of ageing to
halt the continuous rise in age-related chronic diseases

White paper by leading European Research Institutes for Ageing Research on perspectives of
the ageing European society

The doubling of life expectancy in the past 150 years can be seen as one of our civilization’s
greatest achievements. However, as life expectancy continues to rise, soon a third of the
population in the EU will be over 65 years old. Unfortunately, old age is inevitably associated
with chronic and invalidating diseases that hamper participation in society. More than half of
those over 65 suffer from multimorbidity, i.e., two or more chronic diseases are present at
the same time and this disproportionally affects people with low socio-economic status. A
significant and ever-increasing part of society’s resources must therefore be devoted to
treating and caring for older people. Already nowadays, half of the healthcare costs are spent
on the treatment of the elderly and by 2050 ageing-related social costs are estimated to
amount to the unsustainable level of 45% of the GDP. The risk of multimorbidity exponentially
increases at old age. For instance, around 40% of the 85-year olds suffer from dementia, so
almost every second person at that age is affected. It is therefore essential for the future of
our European society that age-related diseases are tamed. This is an enormous scientific and
medical challenge. It is evident that the current debate about pensions in relation to
demographic change will not offer the solution. Age-related diseases are the real powder keg
that needs to be defused. Only if the health problems of ageing are being solved, the period
of healthy aging and, thereby, social participation can be extended. Rapid advances in ageing
research give reasons for hope that healthy ageing, i.e., prolongation of the healthspan rather
than the lifespan, can be achieved and that age-related diseases can be effectively prevented.
In order to meet these challenges, massive investments in biomedical ageing research are
essential today in order to avert the unfathomable costs of a multimorbid society.

1. Increasing life expectancy is associated with a sharp increase in age-related diseases
   such as neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes,
   immunodeficiency, chronic kidney disease, cancer and osteoporosis, severely
   affecting quality of life.
2. The common cause of age-related diseases lies above all in the ageing process itself.
   Preventive treatments must therefore focus first and foremost to ageing in order to
   be able to successfully extend the healthspan.
3. Hence, biomedical ageing research is the key qualification for healthy ageing and for
   an extended social participation in old age.
4. Ageing research has demonstrated that healthy ageing without serious diseases is
   quite possible. Prolonged healthspan can be induced in all organisms studied, ranging
   from yeast and worms to mammals, implicating the existence of common biological
   underpinnings.
5. Lifestyle and diet can significantly improve health in old age and delay age-related
   diseases – and they are still effective in old age. Demographic studies have shown that
   poorer sections of the population develop age-related diseases and die earlier than
   those in more privileged sections, which is a societally unacceptable situation. Here in
   particular, a healthier lifestyle to reduce risk factors and delay diseases can have an
   enormous effect on health in old age.
6. Modern ageing research has now discovered genetic programs and pharmacological
   interventions that can control and thus delay the ageing process. Damage to various
   body cells drives the ageing process. Repair systems can alleviate such damage and
   longevity mechanisms can preserve vital bodily functions.
7. The biological programs that regulate the ageing process provide targets for
   preventive therapies. Combating age-related diseases must be a central concern of
   biomedical and pharmaceutical research. Various types of therapy must work
   together in order to achieve long-term preservation of health in old age. The
   prevention of multimorbidity must be the clinical goal of therapy.
8. Biological ageing research is younger than demographic change. Significant
   investments in biomedical aging research are essential to enable healthy ageing at a
   global scale. It is absolutely clear that the logistical and financial requirements of a
   chronically ill, ageing society exceed the necessary and overdue research investments
   many times.
9. The US government (amongst others via the National Institute of Aging (NIA)) and
   large US-based companies (Google, Amazon) as well as several Asian (Singapore,
   China) and Arabic (Hevolution, KSA) governments have recently invested considerable
   sums in fundamental and applied ageing research. If the EU does not do the same
   soon, we will fall behind and this will make Europe less competitive and ill-prepared
   for the future. As a consequence, IP that is being generated during the process will be
   localized outside the EU. This will have unpredictable negative consequences for EU
   citizens far into the future. Therefore, it is necessary and urgent for the EU to prioritize
   funding for biomedical ageing research.
10. In order to generate sufficient critical mass, the EU can build on established ageing
    research centers that have been initiated around Europe, particularly during the past
    two decades. A dedicated EU funding agency for research into the fundaments of
    ageing and age-related diseases should enable competitive ageing research for the
    future of a healthy ageing society in Europe.

Prof. Dr. Björn Schumacher, CECAD Excellence Cluster for Aging Research, University of
Cologne, Germany, bjoern.schumacher@uni-koeln.de
Prof. Dr. Lene Juel Rasmussen, Center for Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen, Denmark,
lenera@sund.ku.dk
Prof. Dr. Folkert Kuipers, European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing (ERIBA),
University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands, f.kuipers@umcg.nl
Prof. Dr. Nektarios Tavernarakis, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Foundation for
Research and Technology-Hellas, and Research Director, Institute of Molecular Biology and
Biotechnology, Heraklion, Greece, tavernarakis@imbb.forth.gr
Prof. Dr. Jan H.J. Hoeijmakers, Department of Molecular Genetics, ErasmusMC, Rotterdam,
The Netherlands, j.hoeijmakers@erasmusmc.nl
Prof. Dr. Cláudia Cavadas, Vice-rector for Research, Multidisciplinary Institute of Ageing
(MIA)-Portugal, University of Coimbra, Portugal, ccavadas@ci.uc.pt

White paper

Horizon Europe program consultation

The conference: Longevity Nation –

Enhancing research development and education for healthy longevity

March 26-27, 2023

Bar Ilan University, Nanotechnology Bldg 206, Ramat Gan, Israel

This conference will explore the interdisciplinary interrelations of science, technology and society in addressing the challenges of population aging. By bringing together leading voices in the longevity space and public figures, the Longevity Nation conference will strongly contribute to increasing the synergy of science, technology and aging society, and help advance ethical scientific and technological solutions for healthy longevity for the benefit of the entire society. Building on national and international strengths in this area, this conference will help build the supportive national longevity ecosystems and enhance international cooperation in the Longevity Field.

http://www.longevitynation.org/

The registration is at the link below (the attendance is free, but registration is required). The page also includes information for possible support for Vetek (Seniority) Association – the Movement for Longevity and Quality of Life, Israel, the chief organizer of this conference. The Vetek Association is an ILA federated member, and the entire conference is done in cooperation with ILA.

http://www.longevitynation.org/register-free-and-donate/

Looking forward to seeing you and jointly promoting research, development and education for healthy longevity!

Ilia Stambler, PhD

Chairman of the organizing committee

The International Longevity Alliance (ILA) launches a worlwide and endless collaboration with all, based on open data, to collectively see how to improve health worlwide. 

The ILA welcomes any volunteer and any institution to join the project! Instructions are on http://OpenData4Health.org .
To all life extensionists, you are welcome to contact your former projessors to suggest that their students contribute to this serious project for humanity, whether their studies are linked with science, health, mathematics, data, environment, communication or similar topics. You are welcome to contact your organisation to seek for interest in participating in this serious project for a better health.

For longer healthier lives,

the ILA board.

quercetin, melatonin, zinc, curcumin, vitamin D, vitamin C, probiotics, aspirin, metformin…

Dear All,

As a PREAMBULE, i) the following comes from a website, https://c19early.com/, that is qualified by some as misinformation. We did not see at the ILA board in what regards it fundamentally is, but we inform you because if we were wrong then the following is false information. This website is maintained by an anonymous  team of researchers, “@CovidAnalysis”, who collect articles on many potential treatments against covid, analyze each article, provide an analysis on the website, and try to assemble the knowledge about what works and what doesn’t in terms of prevention (prophyllaxis), early treatment (first covid symptoms or just tested positive) and late treatment. On the basis of a random sampling of a dozen articles, we did not see so far cherry picking nor a general bias in their interpretations, and the work done by this website seems of high quality to us, at this stage. ii) We strongly advize AGAINST trying medicines on your own without medical supervision. Health and life matter too much!

The INTERESTING thing here, and the reason why we share this, is that among the 29 potential treatments against covid they currently investigate, 9 are often considered to have anti-aging properties. Given that covid risks (before vaccines and treatments) are so aligned with aging (we organised conferences on that theme over the last year), one could think that many of such treatments act to some degree on covid — and this is what c19early finds! We could even imagine that efficient covid treatments may be beneficial against biological aging ? To be tested…

CONCRETELY, here are the macro results. By definition they mix different doses, treatment combinations and populations so you can click on the links to get to the corresponding pages and see the underlying details. There, every mentioned study comes with the original pdf as well as a web page on the interpretation by the @CovidAnalysis team. So you can make your own idea of whether the interpretation is correct. Would you find anything inadequate (biased interpretation, cherry picking, other), please mention it below (good to keep track) and please mention it to them (there is a form on their website).

Quercetin (senolytics) – 79% covid risk reduction when taken early!? Based on 4 studies, all being randomized controlled trials	Melatonin (various) – 78% covid risk reduction when taken early!? Based on 11 studies including 5 randomized controlled trials	Zinc (immune system) – 74% covid risk reduction when taken early!? Based on 26 studies including 5 randomized controlled trials
Curcumin (senolytics) – 79% covid risk reduction when taken early!? Based on 4 studies, all being randomized controlled trials	Vitamin D3 (immune system, falls prevention) – 48% covid risk reduction!? Based on 51 studies including 9 randomized controlled trials	Vitamin C (think of Linus Pauling) – 43% covid risk reduction when taken early!? Based on 23 studies, including 7 randomized controlled trials
Probiotics (think of Ilya Metchnikov) – 34% covid risk reduction when taken early!? Based on 12 studies, including 5 randomized controlled trials	Aspirin (baby dose aspirin may be good for health if taken during meals and only when at cardiovascular risk) – 19% covid risk reduction when taken early!? Based on 21 studies, including 1 randomized controlled trial	Metformin (good for people at risk of diabetes, together with B12; its benefits and the benefits of physical activity increasingly seem to neutralize each other)  – 15% covid risk reduction!? Based on 7 studies, including 1 randomized controlled trial

Of note -as the question then arises- REGARDING very much discussed potential covid treatments, the @CovidAnalysis team perform metaanalyses of various kinds about ivermectin (67% covid risk reduction when taken early!? Based on 64 studies, including 30 randomized controlled trials) and hydroxychloroquine (64% covid risk reduction when taken early!? Based on 294 studies). The concise discussion sections are particularly *interesting* scientifically, here and here. As indicated in preambule above, some places qualify the c19early.com website as misinformation; these interventions are particularly debated and therefore at risk of biases, so we do not position ourselves on the matter. Also, they are not known as probable anti-aging treatments.

The main stated aim of the International Longevity Alliance (ILA) is achieving “healthy longevity for all through scientific research” (https://longevityalliance.org/). To promote this aim, ILA acts as an organization for the advancement of longevity science, and its positive social and humanitarian aspects, producing methodological and policy recommendations for the development of longevity science, as well as a dedicated scientific organization producing original research and scientific reviews and summaries on the subject of aging and healthy longevity.

Both as an organization for the advancement of science and a dedicated scientific organization, ILA promotes the research on healthy longevity by ameliorating degenerative aging processes which are the main risk factors for chronic age-related diseases and disabilities. Under this general objective, ILA advances and conducts research into the methodology and practice of aging intervention, in both the diagnostic aspects (exploring biomarkers and other clinical parameters of aging) and therapeutic aspects (exploring potential therapeutic interventions, such as animal experiments and analysing data on human interventions).

Examples of ILA research activities, both as an organization for the advancement of science and a dedicated scientific organization, have been reported in scientific articles, and scientific conferences, as follows.

Several ILA academic publications have included both the policy research (advancement of science) and original research (science per se). For example, the following articles initiated by ILA experts contribute to the methodology of addressing aging as a medical condition, including policy as well as diagnostic and therapeutic aspects:  

Daria Khaltourina, Yuri Matveyev, Aleksey Alekseev, Franco Cortese, Anca Ioviţă. Aging Fits the Disease Criteria of the International Classification of Diseases. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development. 189, 111230, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mad.2020.111230

Editorial. Opening the door to treating ageing as a disease. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. 6 (8), P587, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(18)30214-6

Ilia Stambler. Recognizing degenerative aging as a treatable medical condition: methodology and policy. Aging and Disease. 8(5), 583-589, 2017. https://doi.org/14336/AD.2017.0130

On the other hand, as part of original scientific research, ILA experts (in particular Dr. Edouard Debonneuil, Dr. Dmytro Shytikov and Dr. Anton Kulaga) initiated several test trials of aging-ameliorating (geroprotective) therapies in mice.

The results of ILA-initiated studies of potential geroprotective therapies in mice have been reported in the scientific literature. Thus, a recent study explored the effect of the potential geroprotective drug C60:

Dmytro Shytikov, Iryna Shytikova, Deepak Rohila, Anton Kulaga, Tatiana Dubiley, and Iryna Pishel. Effect of Long-Term Treatment with C60 Fullerenes on the Lifespan and Health Status of CBA/Ca Mice. Rejuvenation Research, 19 May 2021. https://doi.org/10.1089/rej.2020.2403

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/i-am-a-little-mouse-and-i-want-to-live-longer#/

An additional research study on the use of senolytic drugs for healthy longevity in mice, co-organized by ILA and Leipzig university, is now in the final stages of preparation.

https://web.archive.org/web/20161031103116/http://longevityalliance.org/?q=longevity-activists-call-support-investigation-drugs-against-aging

https://web.archive.org/web/20201026153126/http://longevityalliance.org/?q=mmtpsenolytics-second-dosing-september

A strong focus of ILA scientific activities has been on developing clinical evaluation criteria for aging and aging-related diseases.

For example, ILA experts, a board member and a scientific advisor (Dr. Ilia Stambler and Dr. Alexey Moskalev) initiated, under ILA affiliation, a special research topic on clinical evaluation criteria of aging and aging-related diseases, in the scientific journal Frontiers in Genetics. 9 scientific articles have been published in this research topic by internationally acclaimed scientists, and a summary by the ILA expert editors is forthcoming.

https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/14483/clinical-evaluation-criteria-for-aging-and-aging-related-multimorbidity

It is important to emphasize that ILA, though currently head-quartered in France, includes as its federated members the non-profit associations for the promotion of healthy longevity research from around the world. As of July 2021, ILA included 29 non-profit associations from 24 countries as federated members (https://www.longevityforall.org/groups/). The research done by these organizations also contributes to the ILA total scientific contribution as a whole.

For example, the commitment “Quantified Longevity Guide” of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Aging (EIP-AHA) is advanced by the ILA federated members Vetek Association – the Movement for Longevity and Quality of Life, and Israeli Longevity Alliance.

https://ec.europa.eu/eip/ageing/commitments-tracker/a3/quantified-longevity-guide-qlg_en.html

Additional commitments in the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Aging (EIP-AHA) are advanced by the ILA federated members: Longevite & Sante (France) and Gesellschaft für Gesundes Altern und Prävention – (e. V.) (The Society for Healthy Aging and Prevention/HEALES Germany)

https://ec.europa.eu/eip/ageing/commitments-tracker/a3/_en%3Fpage=1.html

And yet some other academic works by ILA experts mainly focus on the advancement of longevity science, via science policy and activism, such as:

Stambler I and Milova E. Longevity activism. In: The Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging, Springer, 2019, edited by Matthew Dupre and Danan Gu. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69892-2_395-1

Stambler I. “The Longevity Movement Building”; “Outreach Materials for Longevity Promotion”. In: Longevity Promotion: Multidisciplinary Perspectives. Longevity History, 2017. ISBN: 1974324265. http://www.longevityhistory.com/longevity-movement-building/ 

In the recent period, ILA experts participated in developing and promoting position papers and other outreach materials focusing specifically on the need to improve the underlying health of older persons to minimize the risks of COVID-19, including:

“Geroscience in the Age of COVID-19”. Aging and Disease. 11(4), 725-729, 2020. https://doi.org/10.14336/AD.2020.0629

https://www.jpost.com/opinion/we-can-do-more-to-help-the-elderly-cope-with-the-covid-19-crisis-642408

“WHO must prioritise the needs of older people in its response to the covid-19 pandemic”. BMJ. 368:m1164, 2020 

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1164

https://ifa.ngo/open-letter-to-who-signatures/

https://ifa.ngo/news/open-letter-requesting-action-from-the-who-regarding-covid-19-and-older-people/

We Call for Open Anonymized Medical Data on COVID-19 and Aging-Related Risk Factors

http://chng.it/cLwkxSsP

Furthermore, a large part of ILA activities have promoted science education about healthy longevity research. For example, ILA promoted scientific education on aging and longevity research through the annual educational campaigns “Longevity Month” that ILA has been organizing since 2013.

https://www.longevityforall.org/longevity-month-october-2020/

Another means employed by ILA for the advancement of science and for scientific discussion per se is by organizing scientific and educational conferences. Just since 2020, ILA was the main organizer of 3 high level scientific conferences on aging and aging-related diseases, on line, with the participation of leading international researchers of aging, and co-organized and/or participated in up to 10 more scientific and science-education conferences. The main 3 high level online conferences organized by ILA since 2020 were:

The 1st Metchnikoff’s Day Online Conference “Aging, Immunity and COVID-19”, May 16, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200810154922/http://longevityalliance.org/?q=1st-metchnikoff-s-day-online-conference-aging-immunity-and-covid-19-may-16-2020 . Conference statement 

Eurosymposium on Healthy Ageing, Enhancing clinical trials for longevity therapies, online, October 1, 2021 http://www.eha-heales.org/ .  Conference statement 

Conference and workshops. Clarifying whether and to what degree the current anti-aging approaches work in mice or people, online, February 11, 2021 https://www.longevityforall.org/conference-online-on-anti-aging-testing-11-february-2021/ . Conference statement 

We hope that these activities initiated and conducted by ILA and its experts, both as an organization for the advancement of science and a dedicated scientific organization, will advance the common social benefit of healthy longevity for all through scientific research. We thank you for your support!

ILA board

• June 2021:https://fr.scribd.com/document/510770973/Scientific-News-6th-of-June-2021
• May 2021:https://www.scribd.com/document/510697646/Scientific-News-2nd-of-May-2021
• April 2021: https://www.scribd.com/document/510698288/Scientific-News-4th-of-April-2021 
• March 2021: https://www.scribd.com/document/497841703/Scientific-News-7th-of-March-2021
• January 2021: https://www.scribd.com/document/493179241/Scientific-News-31th-of-Januari-2021
• December 2020: https://www.scribd.com/document/489823705/Scientific-News-3th-of-Januari-2021
• March 2020: https://www.scribd.com/document/449655344/Scientific-News-1st-of-March-2…
• February 2020: https://www.scribd.com/document/449655594/Scientific-News-2nd-of-Februar…
• January 2020: https://www.scribd.com/document/441726648/Scientific-News-5th-of-January…

How to Significantly Extend Healthy Lifespan
Declaration on Aging Biomarkers and Clinical Tests 

Scientists from around the world met on October 1, 2020, during the International Day of Older Persons, at the 5th Eurosymposium on Healthy Ageing (http://www.eha-heales.org/program.html), to share their research on the extension of healthy lifespan. Two topics emerged as particularly important: aging biomarkers and clinical tests.

Scientific research and technological innovation have already significantly improved the life expectancy and health of the population. Many of the biological mechanisms by which we age (“hallmarks of aging”) have been identified but require further exploration as targets for intervention. There are proofs of principle that therapeutic interventions into these mechanisms can improve healthspan in animal models and in human pilot trials. More needs to be done to improve the healthy and productive life expectancy for the aging population. 

We are calling for more research and development to therapeutically treat aging as the main factor for disability and death to improve the resilience and immunity of the elderly. Staying healthy and independent for as long as possible is everyone’s wish, as well as a major public health goal as we strive to build a more resilient society. The differences observed between biological and chronological age may enable health professionals to implement targeted and personalized actions.

The goal would be to combine different biomarkers of aging to develop a generally acceptable measure of aging and degenerative processes. This is necessary in order to better understand and predict the aging process, as well as to have common metrics to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of potential geroprotective treatments. The use of the latest machine learning techniques to find even more relevant markers and predictors of aging could be an important milestone. Advances in artificial intelligence, combined with the availability of large databases, make it possible to identify and integrate many more biomarkers. These biomarkers should give reliable information about aging of all systems of the body (immune, cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, etc.) and their integration. It is also important to have more open and collaborative databases about these biomarkers, accessible to the public while ensuring individual privacy rights.

There are emerging initiatives in this area, including databases on actionable biomarkers of aging: Mortality Predictors (http://mortalitypredictors.org/); Longevity Biomarkers (https://www.aginganalytics.com/biomarkers-of-longevity); Deep Biomarkers Of Human Aging (http://young.ai), and other relevant resources, such as Human Aging Genomics Resources (https://genomics.senescence.info/index.php) and Geroprotectors (https://geroprotectors.org/). These and analogous initiatives must be supported.  The science community needs open databases including case studies, solutions, and datasets.

Another crucial point we have identified is the need to enable the validation of research on aging and geroprotective therapies by clinical studies.

To this end, the recruitment of appropriate subjects is critical. It is especially important to recruit people aged over 60 years and even 70, 80 or 90 years for clinical studies. It is important to test the therapies in the groups for whom they can produce benefits, following the International Council on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) criteria for geriatric drug development. Clearly there are risks for older persons in such studies, but the risks and dangers of not developing therapies and/or applying untested therapies are much more detrimental. It should be absolutely necessary that there is an informed consent and a process of ethical review.

To accelerate decisions:

• There should be an obligation for ethical committees to decide within a reasonable time on the diagnostic tests on biomarkers of aging and clinical research of geroprotective therapies (not more than one month, unless providing a justification for the delay). Deciding faster must not mean being less careful, on the contrary.

• Authorizations should be more standardized, interoperable and transferable between countries.

• Standards for protecting the privacy of medical data of trial participants should be established that allow easier collaboration between institutions, countries, etc. 

One way to accelerate the research could be also via self tests by scientists (e.g. the Rapid Deployment Vaccine Collaborative initiative http://radvac.org). 

By enhancing the evaluation of clinical aging biomarkers and testing new geroprotective therapies, it may be possible to radically reduce degenerative aging processes, and thus increase the health and economic benefits of the rapidly aging society.  We must mitigate senescence processes as soon as possible to save as many lives as possible.

 

Full conference recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGgrOZgniT8&ab_channel=HealesMovies

 

 

A little information about the ongoing MMTP/Senolytics experiment, this mouse lifespan experiment treated with a mixture of senolytics, crowdfunded in 2016 with the help of Lifespan.io.

As reported in April, the experiment started earlier this year: http://longevityalliance.org/?q=mmtpsenolytics-begins

As explained by Dr Alexandra Stolzing, the researcher, “the first sets of measurements are in, including weight, health score and blood parameters. The second dosing with senolytics will be given in September. The rest is waiting, waiting, waiting”.

All results will be published once the study has finished, but we will inform you from time to time on the progress. It is great to see the experiment now well on rails!

The 1st Metchnikoff’s Day Online Conference

“Aging, Immunity and COVID-19”

May 16, 2020

Via ZOOM

TIME – 8.00 PST, 11.00 EST,  15.00 GMT, 17.00 CET, 18.00 IST/MST. ESTIMATED CONFERENCE DURATION – 3 HOURS

The online conference is dedicated to celebrating the 175th anniversary of Elie Metchnikoff, the founder of gerontology and cell immunology (May 15, 1845-July 15, 1916). The conference will foster academic and public discussion on how biological research of aging and longevity could help tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and improve the control of aging-related communicable and non-communicable diseases. 

We will advocate for the strong enhancement of the research of aging-mediated immune deficiency as a major risk factor for disability and mortality. It is established that elders have a much greater risk of dying from COVID-19 than young people. While the average mortality rate from COVID-19 among known cases in Hubei, China, was 0.2% until the age of 40 y.o., it was 14.8% among people over 80 y.o. COVID-19 is thus a disease opportunistically associated with aging. Hence ameliorating degenerative aging processes appears to be the most promising way to protect patients, especially the elderly, to reduce their disability and mortality. 

The conference will emphasize this connection. The International Longevity Alliance holds annual events on Metchnikoff’s Day to promote longevity research and advocacy around the world. 

Attendance is open and free, yet registration is requested.

Registration form (ZOOM link will be sent to the registered attendees in advance).

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfdmp_2Uhp7ZYQRRAwu604I0s_g3B8A9QpeFG-Roaboh3CElA/viewform

In addition, the conference will be streamed on facebook, from the ILA group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/longevity.alliance/

Program:

 

Marking the 175th Years Anniversary of Elie Metchnikoff – The founder of gerontology and cell immunology – May 15, 2020. The lessons from history and hope for the future	Ilia Stambler (ILA)
Fighting infections with Rejuvenation biotechnology	Aubrey de Grey (SRF)
COVID-19 as an aging-related disease	Daria Khaltourina (ILA)
Genetics of immunity  and longevity	Alexey Moskalev (RAS)
A survey for COVID-19 patients, treated or not, to investigate the effect of treatments	Harold Knoll / Edouard Debonneuil (ILA)
What the response to COVID tells us about the politics of medical research	Josh Mitteldorf (Aging Matters)
COVID-19, Immunosenescence, and T-cell Immunity	Robert Brooke (Intervene Immune, Inc.)
Will daily COVID-19 deaths reach daily aging deaths?	François Robin-Champigneul / Edouard Debonneuil (ILA)
Data, Covid 19, Aging	Didier Coeurnelle (ILA)
The results of the research of public desire for life extension technologies	Martin Lipovšek (ILA)
Building upon the Metchnikoff heritage – future for health and wellbeing	Igor Serotila (ILA – IAMF)
The 175th anniversary of Elie Metchnikoff – a citizen of the world	Olga Berveno, Ludmila Babay (Metchnikoff’s Museum, Dvorichna, Kharkov area, Ukraine, Metchnikoff’s birthplace)

http://www.longevityalliance.org/?q=1st-metchnikoff-s-day-online-conference-aging-immunity-and-covid-19-may-16-2020

Facebook event

https://www.facebook.com/events/237031744174376/

Poster

https://www.facebook.com/InternationalLongevityAlliance/photos/rpp.308167409309579/2752709588188670/?type=3&theater

See also events and materials from Metchnikoff’s day celebrations in 2015, on Metchnikoff’s 170th anniversary

http://www.longevityforall.org/170th-anniversary-of-elie-metchnikoff-the-founder-of-gerontology-may-15-2015/

http://www.longevityforall.org/metchnikoff-day-may-15-online-conference-may-16/

 

The International Longevity Alliance strongly welcomes and supports proposals to accelerate research concerning this disease strongly related to aging.

Among other actions, we support the three following initiatives:

The proposal of the President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado Quesada, to the WHO:

Costa Rica in the spirit of contributing to global actions to fight the pandemic, respectfully requests to the World Health Organization (WHO) to undertake an effort to pool rights to technologies that are useful for the detection, prevention, control and treatment of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This pool, which will involve voluntary assignments, should include existing and future rights in patented inventions and designs, as well rights in regulatory test data, knowhow, cell lines, copyrights and blueprints for manufacturing diagnostic tests, devices, drugs, or vaccines. It should provide for free access or licensing on reasonable and affordable terms, in every member country.

Given the urgency of this matter, Costa Rica proposes that the WHO develop an initial concise memorandum of understanding on the intent to share rights in technologies funded by the public sector and other relevant actors, and reach out to WHO Member States, non-profit institutions, industry and others, to sign such an MoU.

The proposal of the co-chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates

There have been very few positive stories about COVID-19, but one is the science. Three years ago, our foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and various governments launched the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations — or CEPI. The goal was to speed the process of testing vaccines and to fund new, faster ways of developing immunisations in the first place. If a novel virus were to start spreading around the world, we wanted to be ready. (…)

Another important consideration is the cost: If the private sector is willing to step up and manufacture this vaccine, for example, they shouldn’t have to lose money to do it. At the same time, any COVID-19 vaccine must be classified as a “global public good,” and remain affordable and accessible to all. (…°

Humanity, after all, isn’t just bound together by common values and social ties. We’re also connected biologically, by a microscopic network of germs that links the health of one person to the health of everyone else. In this pandemic we are all connected. Our response must be, too.

The joint initiative of the Foundation for the NIH, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency, biopharmaceutical companies and other actors

To launch a public-private partnership to speed COVID-19 vaccine and treatment options.

The planned Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) partnership will develop a collaborative framework for prioritizing vaccine and drug candidates, streamlining clinical trials, coordinating regulatory processes and/or leveraging assets among all partners to rapidly respond to the COVID-19 and future pandemics. This is part of the whole-of-government, whole-of-America response the Administration has led to beat COVID-19.

The ILA already declared in February that it was calling

For maximum openness of medical data from patients with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, in order to facilitate medical research and the development of new therapies and treatment regimens.

COVID-19 is not the first serious coronavirus epidemic, and likely not the last pandemic in human history. Anti-epidemic measures alone are not sufficient to save the lives of older people who need therapy and prevention, and to fight against such epidemics. Additional efforts are required to develop new therapies and new anti-infectious and supportive medical approaches to improve the immune response.

It is time for a more open, united, powerful action for resilience of people and nations. Resilience against the coronavirus and resilience for longevity.

Dear All,

It has been quite a while since the community fundraised $52,070 for the mouse lifespan test of a combination of senolytics – the MMTP/Senolytics project.

The start of the experiment was delayed due to a number of issues encountered along the way; the backers were informed in the meantime (notably here, here, and here).  However, today we are delighted to announce that the experiment was finally launched!

Launched during this Covid-19 period !?
Yes. To really top this off and add some extra problems the study was just about ready to launch when Covid-19 came. Labs were closing down, supplies and deliveries were erratic, but Alexandra Stolzing managed to get everything together and begin. Thanks to all the people and scientists who are still working to make science happen.

Experimental conditions
A total of 40 C57BL mice are treated with a combination of senolytics (ABT-263, ABT-199, Dasatinib, Isoquercetin) and will be compared to 40 control mice. The mice were all 18 months old when the experiment started. Blood samples have been taken to determine aging markers analysis before the start of the senolytic treatment, and subsequent blood draws will happen during the study to track changes and determine the health of the animals in addition to a range of other mouse health parameters. Stay tuned to what will happen!

Do you remember?
In 2014 the International Longevity Alliance and the Longevity Party decided to prioritize the funding of a Major Mouse Testing Program (MMTP), described as “large series of mouse lifespan tests, starting with aged mice; including health markers as well and including combinations of interventions”. A year later, thanks to the help of many volunteers, an MMTP project was described with slides translated in ten languages. A year later, the MMTP/Senolytics project was crowdfunded.

Joint initiative by “Open Longevity”, the International Longevity Alliance and scientists, experts and activists around the the world hereby calls on WHO and the Country Leaders for maximum openness of medical data from patients with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, to enhance medical research and the development of new therapies and treatment regimens against this world-threatening disease. Especially, we demand more research and development to therapeutically address aging as the main contributing factor for disability and deaths in this disease, for example to improve the immunity in older people. Data openness is necessary to facilitate such research and achieve safe, effective and accessible therapies, as soon as possible, to combat COVID-19 and other diseases that have aging as the main risk factor.

Support this initiative! Sign the petition!

https://www.change.org/call-for-open-medical-data-on-covid-19

Dear Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,
Dear Country Leaders,

We hereby call for maximum openness of medical data from patients with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, in order to facilitate medical research and the development of new therapies and treatment regimens.

We are grateful to the World Health Organization for its efforts in organizing counter-epidemic measures. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant problems in the organization of medical research and knowledge all over the globe.

One of these issues is a greater need for research on age-mediated immune deficiency as a major mortality risk factor. It is established that elders have a much greater risk of dying from COVID-19 than young people. The fragility of old people could not explain this phenomenon, as for young children the death risk is very low. While the average mortality rate from COVID-19 among known cases in Hubei, China, was 2.3%, it was 14.8% among people over 80 y.o. COVID-19 is thus a disease opportunistically associated with aging.

The increased COVID-19 mortality rate with age raises questions about what characteristics of biological aging lead to greater susceptibility to this and other infectious diseases. This may be due to the deterioration of the immune system in older ages, certain age-related epigenetic changes, decreased regenerative capacity, etc. Perhaps if there were ways to strengthen or regenerate the immunity of older people, this disease would not kill them. At the same time, there are examples of recovered patients at the age of 100 who may have had beneficial patterns of aging.

Open medical data will allow us to explore the underlying biology of susceptibility or resilience to the pathogens. For example, it is important to explore interconnections between the expression of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) gene (which is used as a receptor by the virus), the age of the patients and the outcomes of COVID-19, especially since popular antihypertensive drugs act on the closely related protein ACE as a target.

A thorough analysis of the characteristics of COVID-19 patients is needed to understand the underlying causes of severe COVID-19 impact, for older patients in particular. This includes information on patient’s medical history, medications, vaccination, biomarkers, genomic and transcriptomic data, immune system biomarkers, CMV status, frailty assessment, and omics data on viral response.

We need to globally organize open access to biomarkers and multi-omics data on older COVID-19 victims and survivors. WHO and the Member States should make the existing anonymized databases at their disposal truly open and accessible to researchers.

Published research reveals plenty of epidemiological and virological data, including structural features of the viral capsid, its genome, as well as disease symptoms and mortality patterns, including patient age. There are, however, remaining important research opportunities. Scientific teams and laboratories worldwide could make critical discoveries if they had more data and additional information about COVID-19.

We urge the World Health Organization and countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to jointly organize collection and open publication of unprocessed (raw) anonymous data about the people infected with COVID-19, including ill, deceased and recovered. Publication of initial raw data can connect hundreds of scientific groups working in different research areas, because the answers can lie in completely different areas of medicine and biology.

The COVID-19 epidemic is growing daily, and it is not possible to predict its scale. Ineffective patient data management may cost many lives. Urgent action is needed on the part of the WHO, in collaboration with national authorities, especially in the countries with a high number of cases.

This open medical data initiative can yield results crucial not only for combating COVID-19, but also for the prevention of other infectious diseases, especially among elders.

COVID-19 is not the first serious coronavirus epidemic, and likely not the last pandemic in human history. Anti-epidemic measures alone are not sufficient to save the lives of older people who need therapy and prevention, and to fight against such epidemics. Additional efforts are required to develop new therapies and new anti-infectious and supportive medical approaches to improve the immune response.

Copies of this letter were sent to the WHO, as well as country leaders. We will report their replies on the website http://eng.openlongevity.org/, where this document is also available for signing.

We call for the enhancement of medical research, with massive collection and maximum transparency of medical data, regarding patients with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. We call for your support of this initiative.

Yours sincerelly, 

Mikhail Batin, on behalf of Open Longevity Community and Science for Life Extension Foundation (Russia)

Timofey Glinin, PhD, on behalf of Open Longevity Community and Science for Life Extension Foundation (Russia)

Anastasia Egorova, on behalf of Open Longevity Community and Science for Life Extension Foundation (Russia)

Ilia Stambler, PhD, on behalf of Israeli Longevity Alliance (Israel) and International Longevity Alliance

Edouard Debonneuil, PhD, on behalf of Longévité & Santé (France) and International Longevity Alliance

Alexander Tietz-Latza, on behalf of the Healthy Life Extension Society (Europe, Brussels)

Didier Coeurnelle, on behalf of Technoprog (France) and International Longevity Alliance

Walter Crompton, Executive Director, the American Longevity Alliance (USA)

Daria Khaltourina, PhD, on behalf of Council for Public Health and the Problems of Demography (Russia) and International Longevity Alliance

Anton Kulaga, on behalf of the International Longevity Alliance

Robi Tacutu, PhD, Systems Biology Group of Aging, Dept. of Bioinformatics and Structural Biochemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Romanian Academy (Romania)

Robert J. Shmookler Reis, D.Phil., Dept. of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock AR (USA)

Maria Entraigues Abramson, International Longevity Alliance (USA)

Antti Peltonen, MSc, on behalf of the Finnish Longevity Alliance (Finland)

Martin Lipovšek, on behalf of the Slovenian Society for vital life extension (Slovenia)

Peter Engelhardt, PhD, Adjunct Professor of Molecular Genetics, Aalto University (Finland)

Akinloye Josiah, MSc, on behalf of the International Longevity Alliance (Nigeria)

Joao Pedro de Magalhaes, PhD, Professor at Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool (UK)

Aubrey de Grey, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer, SENS Research Foundation (USA)

Georg Füllen, Prof. Dr. (head), Institute for Biostatistics and Informatics in Medicine and Ageing Research (Rostock, Germany)