Population aging has become a global challenge for healthcare and social welfare systems. It is clear that this trend will continue, and the goal for science and medicine is not simply to increase lifespan, but to delay the clinical manifestations of aging. GxP News examines how the geriatric care system is being structured in Russia and whether quality anti-aging therapy exists today.
Modern biology and medicine are trying to “hack” the aging code and influence not only disease risk factors but also the aging process itself.
Last year, the results of several studies were published demonstrating that vaccination against herpes virus infection helps prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Clinical trials conducted on antiviral drugs for treating this disease did not show the expected effect. “But vaccination against pneumococcus, influenza, and herpes virus infection prevents the development of dementia in old age,” said Olga Tkacheva, the Chief Freelance Geriatric Specialist of the Russian Ministry of Health and Director of the Russian Gerontology Research and Clinical Center at the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University (RNRMU), at a press conference dedicated to the development of geriatric care.
The list of molecules that can influence aging processes includes about 300 names, but so far, there is no drug intended specifically to slow down the aging process. The Russian Gerontology Research and Clinical Center is developing senolytics—a class of anti-aging drugs capable of initiating the death of senescent cells. The geroprotective effects of already registered drugs used in clinical practice are also being studied. The emergence of medications aimed at combating age-related diseases is becoming a prospect for the near future.
Geriatrics is a True Art
The procedure for providing medical care in the field of “Geriatrics” was approved in Russia in 2016. Since then, a three-level system of geriatric care has been developed. This includes the outpatient stage—the opening of geriatricians’ offices in clinics, of which there are now more than two thousand; followed by geriatric departments in hospitals where severe polymorbid patients are hospitalized; and regional geriatric centers coordinating the work of the specialized medical service.
In January 2026, new changes to the procedure for providing geriatric care came into effect. Now, large hospitals must have specialized consultation rooms, with a ratio of one geriatrician per 400 beds. According to Olga Tkacheva, this is a tremendous step forward. Geriatricians now have the opportunity not only to consult elderly patients but also to participate, together with other specialists, in developing treatment plans and selecting medication strategies.
“The question arises of how to treat and how to conduct the diagnostic process, because such patients are often polymorbid. Their diseases occur against the background of the aging process itself, against the background of the development of geriatric syndromes. In this situation, you need to see the main problem—on one hand, to diagnose and try to compensate for the condition, and on the other hand, to avoid polypharmacy and unnecessary examinations—and that is the true art called geriatrics,” said Olga Tkacheva.
Geriatrics remains the youngest medical specialty in the world. Obviously, its demand is increasing every year, and the training of professional personnel remains an important issue. The current need for geriatricians in Russia is four thousand specialists; in reality, there are currently half that number. According to Olga Tkacheva, intensive training began last year at more than 30 departments in regional medical universities.
The complexity of managing very elderly patients, most of whom have multiple chronic diseases, means that a general practitioner cannot always assess their interactions, select safe treatment, reduce the number of medications, and prevent deterioration.
“We are engaged in the prevention of aging risks, and this must be done as early as possible. Every doctor, regardless of their specialization, must have the skills to work with elderly patients, because there are high risks in treatment, a special approach to dosages and tactics. And our task is to introduce geriatric principles and technologies both into the work of primary care and into the work of specialist physicians,” said Olga Tkacheva.
At the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University’s Russian Gerontology Research and Clinical Center, special training programs for doctors, clinical and methodological recommendations were previously developed, which are now being actively implemented into outpatient practice in the regions. The Center has also created and patented a “biological age calculator,” which is a set of metrics that most accurately shows the state of all body systems.
“If earlier we talked about risk factors, now we talk about pre-risk factors, and we see a potential problem much earlier than the first symptoms of the disease appear. Today, there is a trend towards creating accurate and long-term forecasts that allow for the development of individual prevention programs much earlier,” Tkacheva explained.
Today, the most reliable and accessible ally of active longevity remains a healthy lifestyle. Each of us can increase our own life expectancy by 15 years by quitting smoking and controlling cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
