Welcoming the Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report 2023, Professor Mike Tipton, Chair of The Physiological Society’s Policy Committee, said:
“Physiology is central to understanding how our bodies work as we age across the life course. Physiology is also critical for understanding the healthy ageing process, the causes and consequences of age-related diseases and the lifestyle and medical interventions that will allow people to live healthier for longer.
“This means more people being able to enjoy extra years with their family and contributing to society, as well as easing the burden on health and care systems.
“However, as CMO’s report identifies, older adults are often systematically excluded from research. The consequence is that we do not have a complete picture of why physiological function declines with age, what aspects of ageing are inevitable and how to best support the application of physiological research to ensure that the public benefits from relevant research.
“This is a vital area of physiological research and I am delighted the CMO has shone a spotlight on the opportunities it presents.”