
CEO tests “crazy” genetic therapy on herself - k__
http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/04/ceo-tests-crazy-genetic-therapy-on-herself-claims-it-added-20-years-of-life/
======
Joof
Reminds me of the scientist who drank bacteria to prove that it caused
stomache ulsers (and was treatable). Too bad it's just not that easily
testable.

Unfortunately, we are still within measurement error and it's possible that
telomere length has nothing to do with lifespan and might be a cancer problem.
We may know if she makes it to 100, but this kind of work needs a control
group and large sample size and is probably unethical in humans. Those who
choose this might die sooner of risky behavior or already have other problems
that reduce their lifespan that they would want to offset.

------
CM30
Quite a lot of scientists did/still do this. Heck, there's even a trope about
it on TV Tropes:

[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ProfessorGuineaPi...](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ProfessorGuineaPig)

But I suspect it's slightly rarer for CEOs of science based companies to try
this stuff out of themselves. Could be interesting to see what happens.

------
zelias
I guess we'll eventually find out if this is an elaborate marketing stunt for
a horror movie.

~~~
dmix
She could just as easily die early from cancer or another condition therefore
rendering the results of her hopeful data point nil.

Additionally, if she does survive there is a question of credibility given the
non-scientific nature of the experiment:

> Fossell, the anti-aging entrepreneur, says even if Parrish were to somehow
> succeed in slowing the aging of her body, an outcome he rated as unlikely,
> the experiment would have no impact because of how it was carried out. “The
> problem is that no one is going to believe them,” he says. “The credibility
> will be zero even if they are right on the money.”

[https://www.technologyreview.com/s/542371/a-tale-of-do-it-
yo...](https://www.technologyreview.com/s/542371/a-tale-of-do-it-yourself-
gene-therapy/)

