In general, people are living longer now. This statement is true, but it fails to take into account that increased life expectancy is also due to increased lifespans due to modern medicine.

True, the average life expectancy has increased dramatically during the last hundred years or so. Life expectancy at birth has increased from about 30 years in 1900 to more than 80 years in 2012. Yet, this is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, more people live longer, but on the other hand, their lifespans have increased greatly due to modern medicine, especially vaccinations and antibiotics. For example, many people today suffer from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which is associated with low birth weight. The genetic causes of ASD are not fully understood. However, studies have found that many women who deliver babies with low birth weight are at increased risk of having a child with ASD. Many doctors have recommended that women take folic acid supplements to reduce the risk of having children with ASD. Also, there are a number of vaccines that children and adults have received that have increased the lifespan of certain groups of people. For example, the flu vaccine, which is given to children every year, lowers the risk of contracting the strains of the flu that can lead to death. In addition, antibiotics such as penicillin have decreased mortality rates among children by treating infections.

Although increased lifespans due to modern medicine are a blessing, these benefits are not universal. Vitamins and other supplements that must be taken on a daily basis may have significant side effects, and people may live to a ripe old age only to discover that they no longer recognize the people around them or recognize any landmarks that they have passed during their lives. In addition, some diseases, such as cancer, may render a person incapable of living much longer. Therefore, while it is correct to state that people are living longer, this statement does not take into account the negative aspects of longer lifespans.