SYDNEY:A blood test developed by Australia's national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) will potentially help people live to 100, according to the commercial company now providing the procedure.
The Adelaide-based Reach 100 is charging $650 (€400) for the test and an associated medical assessment which measures damage to DNA and can point to the possibility of degenerative conditions, such as cancer, developing later in life.
The results allow doctors to determine which supplements or lifestyle and diet changes will help best repair the DNA damage.
CSIRO's principal scientist Michael Fenech said there is increasing evidence linking genome damage to degenerative diseases. "As we age, our bodies produce poorer copies of DNA," he said.
"It is something like a photocopier that is running out of toner. If the toner is running low, the copies get worse.
Reach 100 director Tim Edwards said though the assessment was relatively expensive, he hopes the cost would fall significantly when it becomes more widely used. The company also hopes Australia's federal government and private health funds would, in future, cover some of the cost.
Dr Edwards said the test would move the medical focus from treating diseases to helping prevent them.
"This world-first advance in preventative medicine can now give people a glimpse into their future health and equip them with the knowledge they need to stay healthy," he says.
Optimising the amount of folate and vitamin B12 in the diet is one of the most important known factors in reducing genome damage and this test indicates exactly how much is needed," said Dr Edwards.
Australia's Minister for Ageing, Christopher Pyne, welcomed the new test as a significant development in preventative medicine.
"A growing body of scientific evidence has linked the degeneration of the human genome to an increased likelihood of degenerative diseases, such as cancer an Alzheimer's disease.
"This test has the potential to revolutionise the way we approach attempting to prevent or delay the onset of such diseases," he said.
