This Science News Wire page contains a press release issued by an organization and is provided to you "as is" with little or no review from Science X staff.

Aspirin study sheds light on Australian ageing

August 28th, 2012
Aspirin study sheds light on Australian ageing
The ASPREE study is the largest public, primary prevention study ever undertaken in people aged 70 plus. Image: Getty Images

New research on ways to keep older people healthy for longer will be highlighted at the next Monash University Business Breakfast.

The ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) study, which aims to determine whether a daily dose of aspirin can delay the onset of illness, provides a world-first window into Australia's ageing population.

ASPREE Principal Investigator, Professor John McNeil, from the Monash Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, will discuss what the largest primary prevention study in healthy older people in the world will mean for Victoria and Australia.

"Australians are living longer. If present trends continue, up to 50 per cent of babies born today will live to be more than 100, so the ability to remain healthy is a priority," Professor McNeil said.

"ASPREE will determine aspirin's potential for reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, dementia and certain cancers in people aged 70 and over. It will also determine if potential health benefits outweigh the risks of regular aspirin in this age group."

Executive Officer of the ASPREE clinical trial and Director of the ancillary study ASPREE Healthy Ageing Biobank, Associate Professor Robyn Woods, will speak about the study's progress and achievements.

"ASPREE has become a platform for many sub-studies to provide the first comprehensive picture of ageing in Australia," Associate Professor Woods said.

"GPs will know whether aspirin promotes good health in later years, we will be able to identify medical and social issues affecting our ageing population and future researchers will be able to access a world-first 'biobank' to identify predictors of disease.

"What sets ASPREE apart is that the study engages local GPs and community health networks and with this study we are taking medical research to the people rather than the other way around."

More information:
The Monash Business Breakfast ‘ASPREE – A window on ageing’ will be held from 7.15am on Thursday, 6 September 2012 at the Trilogy Room, Park Hyatt, 1 Parliament Square, East Melbourne. The event is free of charge and includes a full breakfast, but registrations are necessary.

Provided by Monash University

Citation: Aspirin study sheds light on Australian ageing (2012, August 28) retrieved 5 August 2026 from https://sciencex.com/wire-news/107592706/aspirin-study-sheds-light-on-australian-ageing.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
Back to list