Issues in Aging

Question: Consider the ethical dilemmas of this case. What is the summary of the impact on social values,morals,norms and nursing practice. Answer: Anti-aging medicines serve to reverse or slow down the aging process for the purpose of extension of the average lifespan. Although there have several breakthrough research in this field of medicine, the efficacy of such products have not yet been established and their claims have been widely criticized. The advancement of the medical science is already changing the social structure of the societies. Various social factors like retirement programs, public pensions and healthcare coverage are dependent on aging. Medications to prevent anti-aging might destabilize these systems of the society. Major reforms would have to be undertaken if the life span and life expectancy are extended. However, based on the claims of the industry, if the lifespan increases, various social problems will arise like decreased employment opportunities, generation gap collisions, social and fair justice, etc (Novak, 2015). The moral value that is associated with the anti-aging medicines states that new developments in the pharmaceutical sector should be embraced with grace. If the anti-aging medications are found to be beneficial for the individual, then they will be beneficial for the society as well. So there exists an opportunity of an ethical dilemma regarding the moral values of anti-aging medicines. The norms of the anti-aging medications will have a great impact on the working population. If the life expectancy is increased as per the claims of the industries, the aged population will be more in the workforce in comparison to the young adults. This will lead to the social conflicts as the elderly people will get more devoted to their jobs due to lesser sufferings. The nursing practice will be in the ethical dilemma whether to identify the anti-aging medications and products as benign and beneficial or as risky, expensive and harmful. As more of these products enter the market, it will be the responsibility of the nursing practitioners to sort out the good from the bad for the well-being of the society (Buckley et al., 2013). References Buckley, T., Cashin, A., Stuart, M., Browne, G., Dunn, S. V. (2013). Nurse practitioner prescribing practices: the most frequently prescribed medications. Journal of clinical nursing,22(13-14), 2053-2063. Novak, M. (2015).Issues in aging. Routledge.