Longevity medicine has found a new home in some of America's most respected hospitals. A STAT reporter visited a Northwestern University-affiliated clinic and took part in a $5,500 annual package that included a VO2 max test, a measure of cardiorespiratory fitness, along with assessments of heart, brain, lungs, eyes, and other organs. These clinics promise a detailed picture of how a patient is aging, something a typical doctor visit doesn't provide.
The trend is the latest in a long line of costly attempts to fend off aging, from monkey testicle grafts in the 1920s to Bryan Johnson's abandoned blood-transfusion experiments. But the entry of nonprofit health systems into this market has raised concerns. Critics say the hefty out-of-pocket fees sit uneasily with these hospitals' charitable missions, and that some of the tests on offer lack strong evidence that they actually improve health.
The STAT piece is part of a series called 'Selling Longevity,' which examines the commercialization of aging research. While supporters argue the clinics bring scientific rigor to a field long dominated by quackery, the criticism highlights a tension between hope, profit, and proof.