Encyclopedia Galactica: Medicine
Medicine has advanced to the point that the average human’s life expectancy is approximately two centuries. Most disease processes can now be arrested. Most organs can be replaced, either with artificial ones or with specially grown animal organs. For example, some baboons have been genetically programmed to grow human compatible livers that are used for transplant into humans. To answer animal rights criticism these organs are harvested from animals which are genetically altered to grow a redundant organ. This ‘extra’ organ is then harvested. Violent trauma and acute dysfunctional episodes now cause the majority of premature deaths. Even though most diseases can now be cured or controlled there are still some disease processes that mutate or resist treatment causing premature death. However in the 30th century this is rare.
Modern medicine has allowed life spans to increase to approximately 200 years for humans, with proper medical treatment. This would include routine medical scanning (about once a week), and a trip to a “gene spa” about every decade, where an individual would receive anti-aging gene therapy.
