YEARS vs. Preventicum: A Premium Health Diagnostic Comparison

Choosing a comprehensive preventive health assessment is one of the most significant investments you can make in your health. In Europe, two names consistently come up: YEARS in Berlin and Preventicum in London. Both promise a deep analysis of your health status in a single day, but they differ significantly in philosophy, technology, and long-term focus.

Many clients come to YEARS after evaluating both options. Their questions are specific: Which clinic offers deeper diagnostics? Which model provides better long-term value? And where do lab results translate into prioritized, actionable recommendations?

This article compares the programs, technology, scientific foundation, and costs of YEARS vs. Preventicum to help you make a decision that aligns with your health goals.

What Are YEARS and Preventicum?

At first glance, both providers cater to the same clientele: individuals who want to proactively invest in their health and avoid waiting months for specialist appointments.

Preventicum is an established clinic in London, known for its full-day health assessments with a strong focus on imaging, particularly MRI, as well as heart and brain health. Clients often receive a summary of their results on the same day.

YEARS is a physician-led longevity clinic in Berlin. Its approach is based on systems medicine and research integration. Here, diagnostics are not a one-time event but the starting point for long-term health management. The "Clinic-as-a-Study" model, omics technologies like genomics and epigenetics, and the cryopreservation of samples for future testing are central elements.

The YEARS Model: Where Research Meets Clinical Diagnostics

YEARS offers three progressive programs:

YEARS Core® costs €1,900 and includes a 6-hour diagnostic day with over 87 biomarkers, cardiovascular diagnostics, ultrasound of the heart, abdomen, and thyroid, lung function testing via body plethysmography (a more complete method than spirometry as it measures residual volume), VO₂max measurement, and a neurocognitive test battery.

YEARS Evolve® costs €7,600 and expands on Core® with a proprietary full-body MRI, a liquid biopsy test for the early detection of over 70 types of cancer, and seven epigenetic clocks to assess biological age. It also includes the YEARS Biological Safe: 70 cryopreserved samples from blood, urine, stool, and isolated immune cells (PBMCs), which remain available for future tests.

YEARS Ultimate® costs €16,900 and adds whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing, a microbiome analysis, and monthly 1:1 coaching with physicians and specialists. Genetic predispositions for over 170 diseases and pharmacogenetic profiles for more than 150 medications are evaluated.

All three programs culminate in a medical strategy discussion where the results are prioritized and translated into concrete, actionable recommendations.

Learn more about the YEARS Core®, Evolve®, and Ultimate® programs

The Preventicum Model: Comprehensive Diagnostics in London

Preventicum has built a reputation over many years for highly efficient diagnostic days in London. The focus is on combining lab tests with imaging to uncover structural risks.

Their top-tier "Optimal Assessment" program (approx. £11,500) includes a full day at the clinic with:

• A detailed full-body MRI, often with specific sequences for the brain and heart.
• In-depth cardiological analysis, for which Preventicum is well-known.
• Broad blood and urine laboratory diagnostics.
• Results often provided on the same day in a concluding discussion.

Preventicum is particularly well-suited for international travelers and London-based executives who desire a quick, thorough health snapshot.

Direct Comparison: Biomarkers, Imaging, and Costs

For a fair comparison, we'll look at YEARS Evolve® and the Preventicum Optimal Assessment, as they are the most closely aligned in terms of price and scope of services.

Three differences stand out. First, even YEARS Core® analyzes more parameters with 87+ biomarkers than many premium offerings; Evolve® goes further with 120+ markers, including advanced hormone and lipid panels. Second, body plethysmography measures the entire lung volume, including the non-expirable residual volume, which can provide clinically relevant findings that spirometry may miss. Furthermore, VO₂max is considered one of the strongest predictors of all-cause mortality (Mandsager et al., JAMA Network Open 2018). Third, liquid biopsy, epigenetic clocks, and the biobank are not included in Preventicum's standard program.

Research Integration and Biobanking: The Long-Term View

The biggest conceptual difference in the YEARS vs. Preventicum comparison is what happens after the diagnostic day. At Preventicum, the day is largely self-contained. At YEARS, it's the starting point.

Central to this philosophy is the YEARS Biological Safe, included in Evolve® and Ultimate®. Seventy samples of blood, stool, urine, and isolated immune cells are stored at -80°C. The practical advantage: if a new biomarker for an increased risk of Alzheimer's is validated in five years, YEARS clients don't need to arrange a new sample collection. Their baseline samples are already available and can be retrospectively analyzed, allowing for a direct comparison to their current status.

The "Clinic-as-a-Study" model means that every client both benefits from and contributes to current research.

Read more about the vision and the team behind YEARS

Omics and Biological Age: Epigenetics and Genomics

Epigenetics (Evolve® and Ultimate®): Your chronological age is a fixed number. Epigenetics, however, can provide an estimate of how quickly your cells are actually aging. YEARS analyzes seven epigenetic clocks based on DNA methylation patterns. Steve Horvath developed the first such algorithm in 2013, showing that epigenetic age can be determined independently of tissue type (Horvath S, Genome Biology 2013). A biological age that is five or more years older than one's calendar age is correlated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and premature mortality, but it can be measurably influenced by interventions in sleep, exercise, and nutrition.

Genetics (Ultimate®): Full exome and genome sequencing identifies genetic predispositions for over 170 diseases and pharmacogenetic profiles for more than 150 medications. A practical example: clients with an SLCO1B1 polymorphism have an increased risk of statin-induced myopathy, a factor that should be considered when prescribing cholesterol-lowering drugs. This genetic information is valid for life and is independent of future lab results.

All omics data are interpreted by the YEARS medical team in the context of other biomarkers, imaging findings, and lifestyle factors.

Discover the YEARS Ultimate® program with genomics

Insurance Billing and Reimbursement for German Clients

For German clients with private health insurance (PKV), there is a tangible financial difference.

YEARS is a licensed medical facility in Germany and bills according to the German Medical Fee Schedule (GOÄ). Each examination appears as a separate item on the invoice, just like any other specialist visit. Since the diagnostics regularly produce medically relevant findings—such as insulin resistance, elevated liver enzymes, or vitamin deficiencies—a medical indication exists for many individual services. Depending on the specific private insurance plan, this can lead to substantial partial reimbursement.

A visit to Preventicum in London is a pure self-pay service for German clients, with flight and accommodation costs adding to the expense. The GOÄ billing and potential for PKV reimbursement make YEARS the more cost-effective option for many clients based in Germany.

Frequently asked questions about billing and private insurance reimbursement

Which Program Is Right for You?

Preventicum is a good fit if you live in or near London, want quick results from an imaging-focused diagnostic day, and prefer a transactional model.

YEARS is the right choice if you live in Germany or continental Europe and can benefit from GOÄ billing, if you want to understand not just your current health status but also its biological drivers and long-term trajectory, or if longevity technologies like liquid biopsy, epigenetics, and biobanking are relevant to you.

Specifically, someone with a strong family history of cancer would benefit from the combination of full-body MRI, liquid biopsy, and genetic analysis in YEARS Evolve® or Ultimate®. A frequently traveling executive who needs a comprehensive health baseline and can't wait half a year for an internal medicine appointment will find an exceptionally complete package for €1,900 in YEARS Core®.

Transaction or Partnership: Defining Your Health Strategy

Preventicum delivers an efficient diagnostic day in London with clear results, driven primarily by imaging and cardiological expertise.

YEARS provides a deeper dataset and a mechanism to keep that data useful for years to come. The day in Berlin is the starting point. Through omics integration, biobanking, and ongoing medical guidance, it evolves into a health strategy that adapts with the latest scientific research.

If you're looking for an excellent one-time check-up, Preventicum is a great choice. If you want to understand what your biology might look like in ten years and set the course for it today, YEARS offers the model designed for that purpose.

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Sources

• Horvath S. DNA methylation age of human tissues and cell types. Genome Biol. 2013;14(10):R115. doi: 10.1186/gb-2013-14-10-r115.
• Mandsager K et al. Association of Cardiorespiratory Fitness With Long-term Mortality Among Adults Undergoing Exercise Treadmill Testing. JAMA Network Open. 2018;1(6):e183605.

--- Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes and was written based on publicly available information and the state of knowledge as of March 2026. It does not replace individual medical advice. The described programs and prices of third-party providers are subject to change.