Join Us as GSA Experts Discuss ICD-11’s New Aging Classifications

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By CEO James Appleby, BSPharm, MPH

July 19, 2022

The eleventh edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), developed by the World Health Organization, was rolled out at the beginning of this year. Among its new revisions were some items that caught the attention of the gerontological community: “old age” being classified under general symptoms and an extension code for “aging-related.”

The purpose of the ICD is to allow the systematic recording, analysis, interpretation and comparison of mortality and morbidity data collected in different countries or regions and at different times. Users of the ICD include physicians, nurses, other health care providers, researchers, health information management professionals, coders, health information technology workers, analysts, policymakers, insurers, patient organizations, and others. The U.S. is expected to adopt ICD-11 sometime over the next few years.

Classification of old age as a condition raises numerous issues of concern to our field. In response to ICD-11’s new aging codes, GSA President Peter Lichtenberg has assembled a team of GSA member experts from across the sections for a webinar to discuss the implications. It’s scheduled for Monday, July 25, at 12 p.m. ET. I invite you to register now.

With Peter as moderator, the group will address some important questions. What does it mean that aging is a health condition? How did aging qualify as a unique health condition? How might this issue impact the conversation on aging? How might this conversation impact individuals and their well-being? What are the implications? The expert presenters will be past Biological Sciences Section Chair Matt Kaeberlein, GSA fellow Becca Levy, past President Nancy Morrow-Howell, and past President John W. Rowe.