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by Dave Trecker &
L ife expectancy is going up everywhere, including the U.S. But the real story isn’t the numbers. It’s
where people now live to an average age of 75. Someone born the speed of approval. According to Chemical
in 2012 has a life expectancy of nearly 79 years. & Engineering News, nine “breakthrough
So it is in most developed countries around the world. Japan therapies” were approved in record time,
checks in at 81 years, and Western Europe at 79. Southeast Asia, including a Novartis lung cancer drug that
South America and Africa don’t fare as well, according to a study went from first clinical trials to FDA approval
published in the journal Lancet. in three years. A Merck cancer immunotherapy
was approved three and a half years after the first
But almost everywhere people can expect to live longer than they clinical trial.That’s truly incredible. Historically,
did two decades ago. the time from development to approval has been ten years or more.
Why? The World Health Organization says it’s a combination The new paradigm is the result of the 2012 FDA Safety &
of things: improved nutrition, healthier lifestyles and better medical Innovation Act, which promotes all-out attention to molecules that
treatment. Deaths from heart disease, respiratory infections and even show promise against serious diseases, particularly those resistant to
cancer are down sharply or delayed until later years existing therapies. Fast track is now the name of the game.
A good part of this is due to advances in drug therapy. And that’s What’s in the pipeline? More of the same. New cardiovascular
about to get even better. medicines, including a breakthrough for treating cholesterol, and a
promising new breast cancer drug. Those and others are teed up for
In 2014, a remarkable 41 new drugs were approved by the Food & early approval.
Drug Administration (FDA). And not just new drugs, but altogether
new entities, “first in class” medicines, not just for living longer but for Adding to the good news is research on aging. Clinical studies
living better. are testing observations that certain well-tolerated drugs can improve
and extend life of people with certain age-related chronic diseases,
The new approvals, the most in 18 years, target everything from such as Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Curing cancer adds 3.5 years
different forms of cancer to pulmonary disease, Type 2 diabetes, even to life expectancy, and curing heart disease, 4.5 years.
foot fungus. Beyond medication, what can we old timers do? Exercise and
eat and drink sensibly.
A government committee just recommended a fruit and
vegetable-based diet – nothing new there – but said more salt
and eggs are okay too. Fish is better than beef, no surprise,
and sugar is still a problem. But best of all, coffee is actually
good for you, as least up to three or four cups a day.
What about alcohol? Do the experts still think red wine
fends off disease? Not really. A recent study published in
the British Medical Journal tracked drinking habits of
nearly 53,000 adults and found “little or no” health benefits
from consuming alcohol, regardless of type or quantity.
But if booze doesn’t help, sex might. Cohabitation, whether
married or not, promotes health, or so says a study published in
the Journal of Health Economics.
Of course here in southwest Florida, we’re pretty healthy to
begin with. Dr. Allen Weiss, head of the NCH Health System,
reports Collier women have the highest life expectancy in the U.S.
(86 years), and men the second highest (81 years). Lee and Collier
Counties consistently rank among Florida’s healthiest.
As the Italians say, “Cent’anni!” May you live to be 100!
A chemist and retired executive of Pfizer, Trecker serves on a
number of local boards.
44 Life in Naples | May • June • July 2015
