Issodhos writes......
          <Much of the increase in the AVERAGE
lifespan of a given population is a result of reduction in infant
mortality due to improvements in sanitation (public and private) and
(horror of horrors!) vaccination programs.

Add to this the increased survival rate of older persons due to medical
procedures, preventative measures, and pharmaceutical development, and
there would be no direction for the AVERAGE lifespan to go but up.>
............................................................

Hey Issodhos, for once we agree...somewhat.      What you say here is
basically true, under relatively stable conditions.      But what
happens in times of catastrophe, times of war, genocide, or plague?

This is when the great middle, that you did not address, gets chunked
out, along with the young, elderly, and fragile.      Is capitalism now
producing just such a situation like this, on a world wide scale?
All the signs ahead say--- YES.

Apologists for the system,  have only happy talk, yet not much reality
to justify optimism for the future.      There are no motor forces in
play, under current capitalism, that are dealing with the developing
crisis.

Best Wishes, Tony