Would you want to live to 120 years?

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – It could fundamentally change the way we live our lives. Researchers in the UK believe the existing diabetes drug metformin could help us live decades longer — well beyond the age of 100.

If all goes smoothly, the FDA-approved human-trials of the drug will go ahead next year, targeting those with risk of heart disease, cancer, and dementia. If it works by slowing the aging of your cells, you could easily find yourself living to the ripe old age of 120 and beyond.

But would you want to? We took to the streets to find out what you think.

“I suppose. I’m not fanatic about it. It’s the first time I’ve heard about it,” says one Vancouver man.

“I don’t know, I’m about half that age right now anyway,” adds another early-morning commuter.

“Probably not, I don’t know if I want to live 100 years,” says a third.

While the apprehensive approach certainly dominated, it wasn’t exclusive.

“Yeah for sure (I’d try it), why not. Experience life right?” says another man en route to a morning coffee.

If it works, a person in their 70s could look biologically the same as a person in their 50s.

“It scares me. Oh geez, I’d be in diapers,” laughs one man in his 50s.

“It depends on the quality of life. It’s a hard question to answer. The down side is over-population,” points out another man after a long thought.

Researchers have already tested the drug on animals and have found that it works. But even if it works, people are still somewhat apprehensive.

“To be able to suddenly extend that (life expectancy) just raises quite a few questions, it’s hard to say one way or another right now,” says another man waiting for a morning bus.

Researchers also tout the availability of the drug, which only costs around 25 cents a day.

Would you want to live that long? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

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