A4LI is focused on getting politicians to talk about longevity first in order to expand public awareness and interest. There are no hard numbers yet on how much the government could save by making strides toward longevity – and the resulting modified retirement age remains an unsolved problem.

A PAC is going to be formed in the next several weeks. While the organization could operate successfully at any level, efficient 501c4 organizations seem to have $10-50 million budgets. Inviting staffers to scientific conferences and doing public lobbying could help accelerate scientific progress and social progress on issues surrounding longevity. For instance, the Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapies pathway is a potential model for altering regulations to make them more amenable to longevity, but until a caucus is formed and support is established there won’t be much action. American Aging Association, Alliance for Aging Research, and others have attempted to lobby for government support but have so far been unsuccessful.

It’s unclear what Big Pharma’s stance is on aging and whether their lobbying efforts are interested in participating. Biomarkers and hard, measurable endpoints are still an extremely important issue and seem to be lacking in longevity research.

A4LI’s ability to lobby will be directly related to their ability to raise funds, and the organization can use any available support. An annual meeting in Washington DC will be held in September.