Spanish researchers have recently developed a method to tell how fast people are aging, and predict what kind of diseases a person might get. All it takes is one's blood sample. The seemly magical test is conducted by measuring the lengths of a person's telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that wear down as we get old. Researcher said that by getting the precise length of telomeres, they can understand the degree of aging, and furthermore, estimate the biological age of tissues and cells. It is found that people with shorter telomeres are likely to develop a certain number of diseases. Researchers believe that the technology will help people change their lifestyles based on the results to improve their health.
It is also believed that the technology will help the pharmaceutical and clinical industry in developing drugs that will help lengthen our lives through influencing the length of telomere. However, the test may be used by insurance companies to raise premiums or refuse to cover those who are prone to certain diseases. It also raises several ethical concerns since the test cannot give people a very clear answer on how or when they will get a certain disease. With the test costing more than $700 dollars now, it will take years before it becomes affordable for the general public.
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