Forever, and Ever

Who Wants to Live Forever? Queen once asked the question. Alphaville, Bob Dylan, and Rod Stewart all sang about wanting to be Forever Young.

Just the other day, Forever Young became the soundtrack to a strange coincidence. After listening to Alphaville’s iconic song, I switched the radio to catch the news—only to hear an ad for a stem cell clinic promising longer, healthier living.

Welcome to the booming—and often blurry—world of wellness and longevity.

Wellness vs. Longevity
Wellness isn’t new. For decades, it’s included everything from spa days and vitamin pills to evidence-based habits like exercise, balanced diets, and regular medical checkups.

Longevity, though, is the new flashy upgrade. It’s not just about living longer—it’s about staying vibrant for more of those years. Think biohackers like Bryan Johnson, who founded the Rejuvenation Olympics to see who can slow their aging the most, even receiving a blood transfusion from his teenage son (yes, really—it’s in the 2025 Netflix documentary Don’t Die). Or longevity influencers like Dave Asprey and Peter Diamandis.

High-end longevity clinics—tucked into wealthy enclaves of California, New York, and Florida—promise to chart your health now and predict what’s ahead. A first visit can stretch six to eight hours as you’re ushered from MRIs to CT scans, genome sequencing to blood work, cognitive tests to fitness assessments. All of this for an annual memberships that can top $100,000.

The treatments sound like science fiction—stem cell infusions, plasma exchanges, peptide therapy—yet many aren’t FDA-approved, and the evidence is, at best, mixed.

If You’re Not in the $100K Club
Longevity isn’t only for the ultra-rich—but it’s definitely not a bargain-bin pursuit. Many clinics operate on an à la carte model, offering full-body MRI scans, genome sequencing, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, and stem cell treatments. Some even bundle in hyperbaric oxygen sessions, IV drips, and shelves of supplements and biohacking gadgets that promise to turn back the clock.

But the sticker shock is real. A “simple” stem cell injection for one knee? Around $6,000. PRP therapy? Easily $10,000 or more. And that’s before you start adding in the repeat treatments many providers recommend. In this game, your bill can grow faster than your lifespan—and often faster than the science to back it all up.

Proceed with Caution
It’s easy to get swept up in the dream of adding not only years to your life— but increasing the number of healthy years. But flashy scans and trendy treatments don’t always deliver. Take full-body MRIs: they sound like a great preventive move, but many experts say there’s no evidence at all they improve survival rates—and they’re prone to false alarms that lead to more tests, more stress, and more bills.

Other pricey treatments, like plasma exchanges, are popular among biohackers who believe they “cleanse” the blood. But there’s no FDA approval for longevity or detox purposes.

And here’s the thing—ask the people selling them, and they’ll say they work, often waving around glossy studies. The trouble? Most of us aren’t trained to spot weak evidence and flawed studies. And as discussed in a prior edition of The Download, a simple Google search is unlikely to reveal the full truth.

On Repeat
We’ve been chasing it in song for decades—Who Wants to Live Forever, Forever Young from Alphaville, Rod Stewart, and Bob Dylan. Now the chorus comes with a price tag: stem cells, PRP, endless supplements. The pitch is always the same—buy this, and the years will slow down.

But here’s the bottom line: the most proven ways to live longer aren’t sold in glossy clinics or come with expensive price tags. They’re time-tested—regular exercise, healthy eating, quality sleep and keep up with preventive healthcare.  Not glamorous, not headline-grabbing—but it’s the only playlist that’s been proven to play on repeat.

Happy reading,

Suzanne Daniels

Enjoy the weekend!

Best,
Suzanne
Suzanne Daniels, Ph.D.
AEPC President
P.O. Box 1416
Birmingham, MI 48012
Office: (248) 792-2187
Email: [email protected]