Volume 1

Long-range program and research needs in aging and related fields : hearings before the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate, Ninetieth Congress, first session Washington, D.C. December 5 and 6, 1967.

  • United States Senate Special Committee on Aging
Date:
1968-
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Long-range program and research needs in aging and related fields : hearings before the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate, Ninetieth Congress, first session Washington, D.C. December 5 and 6, 1967. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    at least understand if we are to make much further progress in improving the health of the general population. It seems probable that the human life span is at least capable of limited manipulation and that the period of mature function will be extended either advertently or inadvertently. This will result in the extension of our leisure years and unless we know what we are about, prolong Senescence. The present interest in gerontology stems not only from the social implications of this growing awareness, but from the knowledge that the present technological explosions in the biological sciences now make possible applica- tions of the new biology to the modification of human existence in ways we have only just begun to contemplate. The simplest and most conservative means of ensuring the continued growth of aging research is to be sure that adequate funds are provided for the exist- ing programs of the Institute of Child Health and Human Development for this purpose. If this is done, the rate of growth of gerontology should exceed that in most any other field. This is because of its challenge and because of its current relationship to other very fundamental problems of biology which bring more and more scientists to think about aging. I would like to see a growth rate of between fifteen and thirty percent a year, until the current program were in- creased from $5,500,000 a year to around $50,000,000. Before that point was reached I believe aging research would be making significant contributions to medicine and public health and its support would be more in line with its actual] importance as a cause of disease and disability. Other agencies support aging research. The satellite aging program of the Veterans’ Administration which encourages cooperation between Universities and Veterans’ Administration research laboratories is well conceived and should get more support than it is getting. The National Laboratories supported by the Atomie Energy Commission are rich reservoirs of trained biologists, with ex- cellent animal facilities. The AEC is in a unique position to assist in aging re- search if the Congress was willing to interpret its mission in this way. As you know, chronic low-level irradiation produces many of the same changes in tissue as aging. We need better sources of older animals. A committee of the National Re- search Council is considering this problem and the staff of NIH is exploring some pilot contracts with animal sunpliers. Congress can help by appropriating money for laboratory facilities and by lib- eralizing the requirements for matching funds for laboratory construction as is done in the case of mental retardation. It can encourage the creation of regional centers under the sponsorship of the National Institutes of Health for the purpose of studying aging. In an interdisciplinary area such as gerontology it is important to bring to- gether groups of investigators interested in aging but in such a way that they remain in close contact with their colleagues within a University and provide them with adequate equipment, animal and human resources. Even in the present era of budget austerity, we should be planning such centers. Actually, some planning is under way. Congressional interest would stimulate it. The moment the level of proposals can justify it, I recommend the activation of an aging study section. This should include eminent molecular and developmental biologists and gerontologists. Such a panel can be very effective in promoting in- terest and critically evaluating progress in a field dealing with aging. Proposals should receive adequate reviews in regards to their significance to gerontology. They need no more special consideration than -that to endorse the October 18, 1967 Resolution of the Chairman for a White House Conference on Aging in January, 1970. . ‘ ; One of the most important things which Congress can do is one of the things it is already doing with the Special Committee. That is to focus attention of laymen and scientists alike on the aging challenge. Statements that aging research will be supported by responsible public leaders are effective in making scientists re- gard aging as a major problem. Congress and this committee can give aging re- search visibility. If Congress wants more aging research, it should say so. It should develop the theme of the value of aging research in hearings such as the present one, and encourage the administration of the National Institutes of Health to aggressively develop such programs. The growth of aging research however, will not be entirely dependent on the generosity of Congress with public funds. A heavy responsibility is placed on the individual scientists in the labor- atory, to do quality research, to apply what is learned and to train others to carry on an increasing tempo of activity in this field.