Horvath Warns Epigenetic Clocks Cannot Predict Individual Death Date Despite Insurance Industry Use

What was said

"If your GrimAge is 10 years younger than your calendar age, it does not mean you will now live 10 years longer than the average person. It really measures the instantaneous hazard that you drop dead. I always say to people, it's your risk that you will die in the next year."

Horvath issued a strong warning against misinterpreting epigenetic age as lifespan prediction, despite life insurance companies using GrimAge for mortality risk assessment. He explained that a 10-year younger biological age does not translate to 10 extra years of life; rather, it measures instantaneous mortality hazard with large error bars (plus-minus 6 years). Horvath called it unethical and scientifically unsound for companies to report predicted death dates to consumers.