How to Define Old Age

May 5, 2025

AI Summary

5 min read

In December 2021, the World Health Organization quietly proposed classifying old age itself as a disease in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). The logic was straightforward: if aging were a disease, drug companies could develop treatments for it the way they already do for diabetes or cancer. Dr. Kieran Riberu, a geriatric psychiatrist at the University of Ottawa who has worked with aging populations for over 40 years, found himself spending Thanksgiving Day in a video call with WHO officials arguing against the proposal. His grandmother, who could not write her own name but was "probably the wisest and smartest person I've ever met," had shaped his view that aging is a privilege, not a pathology. The WHO eventually reversed its decision.

Why classification matters

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What you'll learn

1 (01:02) **Episode Opening: Listener Voicemails on Aging** - Hosts Natalie Brennan and Yasmin Tayek introduce the episode and play voicemails from listeners sharing their ages and perspectives on aging, revealing a mix of pride and anxiety.
2 (03:13) **The Core Debate: Should Aging Be Classified as a Disease?** - Yasmin and Natalie discuss the cultural conflation of aging and disease, introducing the WHO’s controversial proposal to classify old age as a disease.
3 (04:38) **Introducing Dr. Kieran Riberu** - The guest is introduced: a geriatric psychiatrist who challenged the WHO’s proposal, motivated by his grandmother’s influence.
4 (07:08) **Ageism and the Need for Better Language** - The conversation shifts to how ageism is embedded in society and the lack of agreed-upon language to discuss age.
5 (08:44) **The Power of Disease Classification** - Dr. Riberu explains the importance and impact of classifying conditions in the ICD, using historical examples.
6 (11:03) **The High-Stakes Deliberation with the WHO** - Dr. Riberu recounts the moment his team discovered the WHO’s plan and organized a campaign to challenge it.
7 (13:48) **The Outcome: WHO Rescinds the Proposal** - Dr. Riberu describes the Thanksgiving Day meeting with the WHO and the successful outcome.

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Show Notes

In 2021 Dr. Kiran Rabheru, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Ottawa and a geriatric psychiatrist, found himself at the center of a medical debate. The World Health Organization wanted to officially designate “old age” as a disease, but with more than 40 years of work with aging populations, Rabheru saw this as another example of ageism that needed to be challenged. Dr. Rabheru talks with Yasmin Tayag about how he fought the WHO and about the impact such designations can have on research and our understanding of growing old.

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