杏吧原创

DON鈥橳 get sick, don鈥檛 get old and don鈥檛 die. These three maxims, as stated by Robert Goldman, a founding father of the anti-ageing industry, might sound a tad absurd, but they are nothing compared to many of the industry鈥檚 claims which Arlene Weintraub explores.

By medicalising the process of growing old, sellers of anti-ageing 鈥渕edicine鈥� have made fortunes based on unfounded claims, she argues. Time and again, vulnerable people are spun a yarn and relieved of their cash. Some of the stories are shocking: the case of the anti-ageing doctor who prescribed hormone supplements way above approved doses, for example.

While Weintraub has done her homework, her often dogmatic style leaves little room for intrigue. Still, her scepticism will be food for thought for anyone tempted by promises to turn back the clock.