Is Aging Just Undetermined Disease?

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A release at EurekAlert proposes that the symptoms of old age are the effects of undiagnosed and possibly unrecognized diseases. As the article points out, osteoporosis (bone loss) was not recognized as a treatable condition - as opposed to "just a part of getting old" - until comparatively recently in medical history. This is an intriguing and important way of looking at things, especially since regulatory agencies like the FDA do not recognize aging as a disease or condition, and will therefore not approve treatments. A quote: "The distinction between normal ageing and disease late in life seems to a large extent arbitrary."

Link: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-12/bc-dwy122203.php