Life Extension Foundation

From RationalWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Potentially edible!
Food woo
Icon food.svg
Fabulous food!
Delectable diets!
Bodacious bods!
Were you looking for the cryonics company Alcor Life Extension Foundation?

The Life Extension Foundation (LEF) is an organisation primarily concerned with pushing dubious dietary supplements, in the cause of greatly advancing the average lifespan of humanity, or a portion thereof. It is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and was founded by longtime transhumanist and "life extension advocate" Saul Kent (1939 – 2023) and William Faloon (1954 – ) in 1980.[1][2]

It claims its primary purpose is funding research.[3] It sells dubious supplements claimed to be for anti-aging and preventative medicine purposes, as well as "sports performance."

It used to be a nonprofit, but was so egregiously oriented to its sales focus that the IRS revoked its nonprofit status in May 2013 ... retrospective to 2006.[4] Forbes tax blogger Peter J. Reilly noted that "The IRS’ problem with the Foundation is [...] an entirely worldly one: it asserts the membership organization’s operations seem to be too entwined with the for-profit Life Extension Buyers Club."[5] LEF filed a Complaint for Declaratory Judgment on August 7, 2013, in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenging the IRS' allegations;[6] the case is pending.[7]

The Life Extension Foundation puts a lot of effort into supporting "health freedom," so that it can keep pushing dubious supplements.

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. Heard, Alex (1997-09-28). "Technology makes us optimistic; They want to live". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-02-07. 
  2. Rose, Steve (2004-01-23). "Stephen Valentine talks about the battle to conquer death". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2008-02-07. 
  3. "Funding Scientific Research". The Principal Mission of the Life Extension Foundation. Life Extension Foundation. 1995–2013. Retrieved 2013-09-20. 
  4. "Report of Examination". Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved 19 November 2013. 
  5. Reilly, Peter J. "IRS Kills Tax Exemption Of Foundation Pushing Eternal Life". Forbes. Retrieved 19 November 2013. 
  6. Case 1:13-cv-01219, United States District Court for the District of Columbia
  7. Life Extension Foundation, Inc Plaintiff (August 7, 2013). "Case 1:13-cv01219". Complaint for Declaratory Judgment. Life Extension Foundation. Retrieved 2014-09-17.