Ethics of ageing

In the coming decades the world will face an unprecedented change in the composition of its population that will reshape and challenge social and political systems. Unique in human history, this change, unlike most of the changes that societies will experience during the next 50 years, is largely predictable. Population aging, with advances in medical technology, ensures that the allocation problem will continue to affect societies as far as one can see into the future. Currently this issue has mostly been formulated in terms of challenges created by increasing costs, and the focus has been squarely on life-prolonging treatments. In doing so, we’re missing many other important issues which should be examined and need a proper ethical analysis.