Organizational Overview
Members of SARA are
gerontologists who are engaged in study of the problems of aging in all its
aspects but with special education, training and interest in the practice of
clinical gerontotherapeutics. These practitioners devote a significant part
of their career to the evaluation and management of patients during mid-life
and beyond. Although the majority of SARA members are medical or
osteopathic physicians, many others are trained in health related fields.
All members of SARA are recognized clinicians, educators and scientists,
many of whom are affiliated with medical schools and universities. Members
of SARA contribute on a regular and continuing basis to the scientific
literature on interventions in aging and conduct medical education programs
on the subject.
History
There is a large body of unsubstantiated information,
false claims and innuendo about how physical and mental "rejuvenation" can
be achieved during aging. This emerged in large part during the 1990’s as
the result of business and commercial interests rather than medical research
and clinical investigational efforts. However, the anti-aging movement
which was exploited by these financial interests was based upon sound
scientific data reported in respected medical journals. Nonetheless,
practical application of clinical interventions in aging was not readily
accepted by the main-steam medical community. The reason was that
anti-aging medicine does not use the traditional model of treating disease
and its symptoms. Instead, it is based upon the assumption that
interventions to counter the maladaptive changes associated with aging would
delay or oppose the onset of intrinsic disease and thereby extend life.
With increasing acceptance of this alternative view, the concept of an
ethical society consisting of professionals seeking to take a health
maintenance-oriented approach to medical practice rather than the
traditional disease-oriented approach emerged with the new millennium. That
idea materialized in 2005 with the organizational meeting and First Annual
Scientific Symposium of the International Society for Applied Research in
Aging (SARA). The new society was founded by a visionary group of
individuals dedicated to serving as the active voice for clinical
practitioners of anti-aging medicine around the world.
Currently,
anti-aging practitioners are not officially recognized or represented in the
health policymaking bodies of influential medical/professional societies.
In order to address this need, a steering committee was organized to accept
responsibility and dedicate a great deal of time and effort to creating
SARA. Much care was given to choosing a proper name for the organization
that would accurately reflect its emphasis on providing anti-aging
practitioners an avenue for the study of scientific, social, political, and
economic aspects of longevity medicine consistent with the highest levels of
patient care and standards of clinical practice.
The
impetus behind SARA's efforts has always been quality and cost-effective
patient care for those hoping to extend good health and vitality for the
duration of their lives. The need for SARA was evidenced by the phenomenal
growth of “anti-aging businesses” that recognized and exploited the
enthusiasm of practitioners to become educated in the novel approach to
health care. In one of its most ambitious undertakings to provide a
legitimate educational alternative, the founding Board of Directors
organized and presented the first SARA Annual Symposium and Organizational
Meeting in Tampa, Florida during the last week of October, 2005. The Board
planned and executed on a limited budget and in less than six months time, a
high quality academic program that included clinical, legal and
socioeconomic sessions.
As it
continues to grow, SARA is working to build a strong network of political
and professional allies enhancing recognition of its role as the
representative of anti-aging medicine around the world. As part of that
effort it has established effective liaisons with multiple Anti-Aging
medical societies from various countries, including those from Italy, Japan
and Switzerland.
Today,
SARA reaches out to anti-aging practitioners throughout the nation and
abroad to enlist their participation in an association dedicated to the
principles of patient care, education and clinical research. SARA's
continued growth is a testament to the importance of its mission and the
need for such an organization now and in the future.
Mission Statement
The Society for Applied Research in Aging (SARA) is a
professional community of clinicians that is committed to improving and
extending the quality of human life by providing leading edge, ethical,
evidence-based and cost-effective interventions in aging for their patients.
Vision for the Future
The success of SARA in
meeting its goals and specific objectives by the year 2010 is that it will
be viewed as the anti-aging society most:
- Valued by
health care providers engaged in the practice of longevity medicine,
- Trusted by patients,
- Respected by health care
decision makers worldwide for its efforts in maintaining the highest
standards for patient-focused, integrative and holistic care.
