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Swiss Re AG issued guidance for underwriters on how to assess life insurance applications of people who show signs of using medications for longevity purposes.

Metformin, traditionally used to manage type 2 diabetes, and rapamycin, an immunosuppressant developed for organ transplant recipients, are part of a growing list of substances being explored for anti-aging purposes, Swiss Re said. In some cases, the medications are being self-prescribed, the reinsurer said.

To help underwriters assess how to evaluate the disclosure of such drugs, Swiss Re has updated its Life Guide, which is used by over 800 insurance companies and supports more than 23 million underwriting queries annually. Some of the drugs carry an uncertain risk, the company said.

“With repurposed medications, the clinical picture is still evolving,” Swiss Re’s head of global underwriting, , said in a statement on Monday. “This update gives underwriters practical decision-making support — especially in cases where use of these drugs may be experimental or self-prescribed.”

Photograph: Metformin tablets; photo credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

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