Researchers Build Software That Can Predict Your Life Span

         Researchers from the University of East Anglia began a project creating software that determines a person’s life span. By collecting data from over 3.4 million people, researchers hope to extract a person’s life expectancy to help him/her determine how to spend their financial gains wisely. 

       The first main point is the medical benefit it provides. This software will aid researchers, and eventually doctors, to improve decision making in the healthcare system (http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/01/health/east-anglia-computer-lifespan-feat/index.html). It is said that researchers will be able to access medical information from patients with a “single general practitioner” for numerous years. With a database of this information, researchers hope to discover patterns in a life expectancy that is correlated with certain traits. An example of what the software can produce can be seen as comparing the life expectancy of several individuals to their individual long term medication, and conclude which medication appears most effective. With this knowledge, medical professionals will be capable of making further educated decisions, which can extend individuals life spans (http://www.theinertia.com/health/coming-soon-a-software-that-can-predict-your-lifespan/).

         The second point in this article is that the software could be useful for planning a person’s pension. "People can take their pension pots out and use them as they wish," explains Kulinskaya, lead researcher, "… to plan for retirement, and to understand how much you can spend, it is good to have some idea of your life expectancy (http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/01/health/east-anglia-computer-lifespan-feat/index.html).” Because of this software, one has the opportunity to use their funds according to their life span, which helps specifically with planning retirement. As helpful as it could be with planning pensions, it can alter a person’s spending habits significantly. Having this information could help one plan their life more effectively as one who expects to live for 15 years but their life expectancy is approximately 30 years (http://www.theinertia.com/health/coming-soon-a-software-that-can-predict-your-lifespan/). That is a dramatic change in expectancy, so planning his/her pension will be more suitable to the specific individual rather than a generalization.

       The final point this article concludes is how this software will change numerous lives dramatically. With this approximation, many may adjust their lifestyle to live longer. The analyzed data will produce results of a variety of risks that could arise because of the person’s specific characteristic, age, and more.  Ryan O’Hare, an author of DailyMail.com, states, “… patients could receive counselling based on their baseline risk of getting a disease and could take appropriate action, such as changing their diet or taking long-term medication (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3519033/A-computer-soon-tell-going-DIE-Scientists-developing-test-accurately-predict-death.html). Knowing this information, can help motivate people to take care of their bodies, and lower their, at this point, unknown risks, as well as make the most with their finances.

      Finally, a point that I believe the article overlooks is will this software work for people all over the world. The population sample is from England, but will this be able to help people in other countries, such as Thailand. Not only is this a concern, but other cultures. Certain cultures have strict regulations that could skew results and end up having medical professionals not correctly medicating their patients.