There’s no doubt the longevity industry is growing. There’s also no doubt that the huge amounts of investment being made will need to be justified in the future. Some people are enthusiastic about even the slightest hint of a new anti-aging therapy, while others remain skeptical about the whole idea. This means that longevity companies need to think about how they communicate their work to the public (https://longevity.technology/news/growing-pains-communications-for-a-maturing-longevity-sector/).
Supplements, biological age tests, and health tracking aren’t cure-alls for aging, but they are a dominant part of the quest to help people live longer and be healthier. In the first nine months of 2023, the longevity industry saw upward of $1 trillion in funding from various investors. With that amount of money in play, you know things are serious.
You also know that with something so big – and still somewhat controversial – there’s going to be a backlash. Are longevity treatments scientifically valid or just magical thinking? Are new therapies going to be available to those who most need them or exclusive playthings for the super rich? What about sustainability and corporate responsibility?
It’s not just the public. Anything involving healthcare is going to be eyed pretty hard by regulators. It’s no good inventing something new, only to find it can never go to market because it doesn’t meet the required standards. The larger and louder the longevity industry grows, the more scrutiny it’s going to face from agencies and lawmakers.
Companies need to figure out their messaging. Most people know someone who has suffered because of an age-related disease. Conditions like dementia are becoming more and more common. It should be relatively easy to highlight how this kind of research, and any subsequent products, could be in the public interest if they can be made viable.
If longevity treatments and products can be made more accessible to the wider public, they do have the potential to reduce health inequalities. People’s lifespans are growing as it is, but work needs to be done to ensure people can enjoy their old age. Longevity companies could be part of that.
Convincing the public that longevity interventions are not just safe and effective but also have the potential to be a worthwhile investment is going to be a challenge. If the industry wants to grow and expand its market, it will need a communication strategy.
