Podcast #44 - Live long and prosper

On this week’s pod, we discuss the megatrend of an ageing population and some of the investing opportunities (and risks) this trend creates in society.

• The average human life expectancy has increased by 10 years since 2000 to almost 73 - modern medical technology, pharmaceuticals, and standards of care mean we’re all living longer healthier lives. At the same time, birth rates are declining. If these trends continue, most countries are projected to have shrinking populations by the end of the century, with some countries expecting their populations to halve by 2100!
• A longer life expectancy is great for the individual but may mean that younger generations will have to contribute more to support older ones, or that people will have to work longer and retire later. Key challenges such as funding for healthcare and social care for the elderly need to be tackled by governments, supported by private industry
• It’s a fact of life that we are more susceptible to ailments as we get older. A healthy lifestyle can only reduce the chances of serious illnesses, not eliminate them completely. Preventative and proactive healthcare solutions can help to mitigate the conditions that occur more frequently in later years, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Companies such as Teladoc, Alphabet and Apple are delivering technology to assist with health monitoring, and enable preventative healthcare
• A larger retired population will increase the demand for cost-effective and also luxury travel and entertainment. Those leading longer and healthier lives will want to enjoy themselves in their golden years, and this will create a greater need for social hubs and activities for retirees
• Calico, a ‘moonshot’ subsidiary of Alphabet, are a research lab with the goal of combating ageing and associated diseases. They’re partnering with other research labs and companies to deliver healthcare solutions, and in 2020 announced a drug for treating solid tumours
• Alphabet also has Verily Life Sciences (formerly Google Life Sciences), a research organisation devoted to the study of life sciences with the aim of digitising healthcare with research programs in digital surgery, pathology and immunology

The following companies are mentioned in this episode: GOOG, TDOC, AAPL, ISRG

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