How long have you got?
I see Big Nanny has another nice little weapon in its ever growing arsenal?
"Researchers1" claim to have found a blood test that can predict whether a person is going to die soon.
Now I can't honestly see people queuing in their hoards to take this test. Do we really want to know when we are to topple off our perches? Personally I would like to leave that in the realms of the Great Unknown, along with such matters as where all those wire coathangers come from and where all odd socks disappear to or why all politicians aren't aborted at birth..
I can however see Big Nanny taking a great interest.
Wouldn't it be great if they could test someone before a major operation? The test proves negative so they cancel the operation an just leave the person to die?
How soon before employers see the benefits? There's no point in employing someone and training them if they are going to croak within five years?
As for the insurance companies – they will have a field day.
The list of possible uses is quite extensive and not one will benefit the victim, that I can see.
I can however see the day when some bloke gets his test results that say he has a good twenty years ahead of him.
He rushes out of the clinic in jubilation and gets run over by a 56 bus.
1. Researcher = someone with too much time and too much taxpayers money on their hands
A little biological time machine ?
More like a biological timebomb?
As you point out, GD, it's the insurance companies who are going to love this.
"Insurance Sir? Just take this little test….Oh dear, it seems we have a problemette…"
Same as you, I have no interest in tests of that sort. Of any sort, actually. And as for predicting my demise, I was once told I had six months to live. That was 38 years ago. To say that I have little faith in the medical profession would be putting it mildly.
According to the "experts", with my normal intake of sugar, salt, fats, caffeine, nicotine et al, I should be dead years ago.
Not "should be dead"… they must think you ARE dead. Rule number one among those who claim to be in charge of the so-called scientific profession: never let observations get in the way of a good theory. They probably even have a computer model to "prove" you are dead. Right next to the one which "proves" the climate is warming uncontrollably.
And now they know I'm a lunatic because I engage in conversation with dead people!
Jaysus Bruce, but you have a sixth sense,don't be wastin it.
i rolled my eyes so hard at that one i got a headache
See a doctor immediately.
You should have saved that story for another month, April 1st would be more appropriate. I wonder could be get ole Reilly to take the test live on tv?
My glucose testing device recently underwent an update to include death testing as well as testing blood sugar levels.
It says I'm already dead.
Obviously I need to get the thing calibrated.
On a serious note. If this test can actually predict someone's death–who'd want to know?