- Статьи
- Society
- Background of the disease: Russia will need 5.4 thousand doctors of healthy longevity
Background of the disease: Russia will need 5.4 thousand doctors of healthy longevity
Starting from September 2026, specialists in healthy longevity medicine are expected to appear in Russia. Doctors of this new specialty will not work with patients, but, in fact, with healthy people, identifying risks and threats to their condition, and timely prevent the onset of acute conditions or the development of chronic diseases. But, according to the experts of the Research Institute of Functional Nutrition, in order to meet the need of the whole country for such specialists, it is necessary to train or retrain 5.4 thousand people. The information about what the new specialists will do and how they will be trained is in the Izvestia article.
How will the new doctors work?
Starting from September 1, the nomenclature of medical specialties and positions in Russia will be updated, with more than a dozen new areas and specialties added. Among them are doctors of healthy longevity medicine.
Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova instructed the Ministry of Health to introduce such a position in May 2025. At the forum "Russia and the World: Trends in healthy longevity," she explained the need for the transformation of medical prevention rooms and health centers that appeared in Russia in 2008.
The inclusion of such a position in the nomenclature, as well as the organization of centers for healthy longevity medicine in the subjects of the Russian Federation, were also provided for in the program of state guarantees for free medical care for 2026-2028.
A doctor of healthy longevity is a specialist in preventive medicine. It evaluates the factors affecting the rate of aging, identifies the signs of disease, and helps you adjust your lifestyle before symptoms appear.
"The appearance of a doctor in the field of healthy longevity medicine is another confirmation of the importance of preventive work with the population," Olga Tkacheva, Head of the Department of Diseases of Aging at the Institute of Continuing Education and Professional Development at Pirogov University, chief freelance geriatrician at the Ministry of Health, said earlier. "It is necessary not only to treat existing diseases, but also to prevent the development of new ones, to help a person maintain health for as long as possible."
According to the draft procedure for the organization and implementation of the prevention of noncommunicable diseases, a Federal Center for Public Health and Medical Prevention may be established at the federal level. He will provide organizational and methodological support to public health centers.
In May 2026, guidelines approved back in April were published on the procedure for conducting questionnaires in health centers, assessing biological age, conducting research on citizens and interpreting their results, as well as on the procedure for actions in case of changes.
The examination is recommended for citizens aged 18 and over, as well as citizens who are under medical supervision for chronic non-communicable diseases. However, it is recommended to examine the latter "exclusively in terms of the mechanisms of premature aging and the risks of developing diseases that are not covered by medical supervision." If signs of premature aging and the risk of developing chronic non-communicable diseases are detected, the patient should be provided with the recommendations of a doctor, and he should also be taken under dynamic supervision.
How many doctors do you need for healthy longevity
To meet the needs of Russian residents for doctors of healthy longevity medicine, it is necessary to train about 5.4 thousand doctors, estimated Yulia Malevannaya, General Director of the Research Institute of Functional Nutrition.
— Internists, nutritionists, endocrinologists and pediatricians can retrain and work effectively in a new specialization, — she believes. — The initiative of the Ministry of Health to approve the position of a doctor of medicine for healthy longevity is, of course, a timely and important step towards the transition from disease medicine to preventive medicine. We fully support a systematic approach to early disease prevention and prolonging the active life of citizens.
But, according to her, the effectiveness of future specialists' work will directly depend on how seriously their training focuses on the fundamental role of nutrition and nutritional support for the body.
— Modern research data shows that Russian doctors currently have a critical lack of knowledge in this area, — said Yulia Malevannaya.
She recalled the results of a survey conducted by the Doctor's Handbook among practicing physicians in various regions of Russia in 2025. 49.8% of respondents, when communicating with overweight patients, reported that they limited themselves to the general phrases "eat less and move more," and 73.7% acknowledged an acute lack of knowledge about weight correction methods.
— The situation is aggravated by a shortage of personnel: according to official data announced at a meeting of the relevant committee of the State Duma in 2024, the shortage of nutritionists in the country exceeds the need for them by 10 times, especially in the primary sector, — said Yulia Malevannaya. — These figures clearly show that without the deep integration of modern nutrition into the program of retraining doctors for healthy longevity, we risk getting specialists who will again give only general recommendations.
Currently, the first doctors have already completed the retraining program, these are 264 specialists, Tatiana Golikova reported.
At the same time, from April 18, and then from September 14, the second and third courses of study will start at the Russian Scientific Center of Surgery named after Academician B.V. Petrovsky. The course "Healthy Longevity Medicine" will take 144 academic hours, and the course "Healthy Longevity Medicine: Center organization and practical skills" will take 72 hours.
David Melik-Huseynov, Deputy Director of the Higher School of Economics of the Presidential Academy, former Minister of Health of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, believes that the required number of specialists in general "may be comparable to the primary need."
"However, it is obvious that they will not appear quickly: it will take a certain time lag for preparation," he said. — It's not just about formal training — the basic principles of prolonging healthy longevity are more or less known to most doctors. The problem is that practically no one does this systematically and in-depth within the framework of their practice.
He noted that today patients, as a rule, turn to a doctor already in the presence of complaints and the established status of a "patient". In the case of the concept of healthy longevity, we are talking about specialists who will work mainly with healthy people.
"They will identify early, minimal deviations — for example, in blood counts, muscle mass and other parameters — and on this basis adjust the lifestyle of patients, including pharmacological support if necessary,— said David Melik-Huseynov.
He noted that the training of such specialists takes time.
— Moreover, it is not necessary to force this process: the healthcare system should be ready for their appearance. It is important to determine in advance exactly where they will work — in polyclinics, hospitals or in other formats. If we are talking about polyclinics, we will need to reconfigure the mechanisms for per capita financing of outpatient care, which in itself is a multi—year process and varies significantly by region," he said.
The introduction of a new specialty will also require organizational training: creating infrastructure, equipping with equipment, and, if necessary, expanding the licenses of medical organizations. It may take 1-3 years.
In addition, the demand for such services will not be formed instantly and in large volumes, the expert said.
"Healthy people are generally less likely to go to medical institutions, so it will take time to form an appropriate culture and needs," he said.
The preparation process can go in parallel with infrastructure development or sequentially, but in any case it will take several years.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
