New Vision for Healthcare Focuses on Preventing Aging-Related Diseases

BUFFALO, NY — June 4, 2025 — A new #editorial was #published in Aging (Aging-US) Volume 17, Issue 5, on May 29, 2025, titled “Rethinking healthcare through aging biology.” In this scientific editorial, Aging (Aging-US) Editor-in-Chief Marco Demaria from the European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing (ERIBA), University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) and the University of Groningen (RUG), advocates for healthcare reform that addresses the biological drivers of aging rather than individual chronic conditions. The article proposes that targeting the root causes of age-related diseases through aging biology could revolutionize preventive care, extend healthspan, and reduce long-term healthcare costs. This proactive approach aligns with a growing body of aging research focused on improving healthy longevity. Dr. Demaria explains that today’s disease-focused model is inadequate for aging populations, who often suffer from multimorbidity—the presence of multiple chronic illnesses like cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. These overlapping conditions, rooted in common aging mechanisms, overwhelm healthcare systems and lead to complex treatments with limited success. The editorial suggests that identifying and intervening in the biological aging process could prevent such diseases before they emerge. In the editorial, Dr. Demaria outlines three healthcare paradigms. The first is the existing system, which reacts to disease after symptoms appear. The second involves intervening once age-related damage begins, using new tools such as senolytics, which eliminate harmful senescent cells, and rapalogs, which regulate cellular metabolism. The third and most forward-looking model focuses on preventing aging-related damage before it starts. This strategy supports lifelong biological balance and seeks to avoid early molecular decline through continuous health maintenance. Prevention is key in this model. Lifestyle choices—such as exercise, a healthy diet, quality sleep, and stress reduction—play a vital role in slowing the aging process. Dr. Demaria also points to the promise of biological age diagnostics—tools or tests that estimate a person’s biological age—which allow people to track their physiological aging and adopt personalized interventions. Additionally, optimizing maternal nutrition and early-life health can contribute to lifelong disease prevention. To support this shift, the editorial calls for major changes in medical education. Physicians must be trained in geroscience, healthspan optimization, and personalized preventive care. This knowledge will prepare future clinicians not just to treat disease, but to delay or prevent it altogether. Collaboration among healthcare providers, researchers, and policymakers will be essential for building this new system. ​​“The third paradigm—preventing aging-related damage—demands a systemic shift toward predictive and preventative research, with an emphasis on multi-omic data, lifestyle interventions, and early-life interventions.” By redefining medicine around the science of aging, Dr. Demaria’s editorial highlights the path toward healthier aging, longer life expectancy, and a more sustainable healthcare future. DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206262 Corresponding author - Marco Demaria - m.demaria@umcg.nl Video short - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR-16cjHnQY To learn more about the journal, please visit our website at https://www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us on social media at: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ X - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@AgingJournal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/aging-us.bsky.social Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1X4HQQgegjReaf6Mozn6Mc MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM