X-Message-Number: 13898
From: "Terry Grossman" <>
Subject: human replacement parts
Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2000 08:08:07 -0600

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In a recent post, Bob Ettinger  states:

"A recent post by Dave Pizer suggested a possible use of clones to replace 
parts after revival, in a way to get around possible ethical problems. I 
think the matter is simpler that that.

We don't have to raise a clone "twin," with or without a brain. It is only 
necessary to regenerate the needed parts (or even just repair them, in the 
case of whole-body patients)."


I believe there is a much simpler solution. We now have the technology to simply
freeze tissue taken from our bodies at the present time and allow doctors in 
the future (5-20 years from now) to regrow the new organs we need from our own 
cryopreserved and therefore younger tissue samples. This technology has enormous
popular appeal. I practice anti-aging medicine and  have discussed this with 
many of my patients. A significant fraction have signed up to cryopreserve 
tissue, and are people who would never consider total body cryostasis.


I enclose an article I recently wrote about this procedure.  This technique, I 
believe, offers us a bridge to bring cryopreservation to an exponentially 
increased audience.

 
The Prospects for Immortality: Human Replacement Parts

by Terry Grossman M.D.

 


A major theme of my new book, The Baby Boomers' Guide to Living Forever, (to 
order call toll free 1-877-LIV4EVR) is that rapid changes in medical technology 
may bring about radical increases in human life expectancy. These exciting and 
dramatic changes are very likely to be available within the next few decades. 
The real challenge for many of today's baby boomers and seniors, however, may be
staying alive long enough to take advantage of these breakthrough technologies.
Luckily, help is right around the corner!


As one dramatic example, medical science is on the verge of being able to create
replacement body parts for most of the organs of the body.  Spare body parts 
--- sounds like science fiction, but the technology is already available today.
In fact, doctors are already able to create replacement skin grafts and 
replacement urinary bladders, while other organs are currently undergoing animal
testing.  Scientists start with an individual's own cells and then direct these
cells under laboratory conditions to grow into the desired organs. 


The greatest advantage to this approach is that since the organ created in the 
laboratory comes directly from the patient's own cells, there is no problem with
tissue rejection which occurs when organs are transplanted from one person to 
another. One problem with this technology, however, is that the "age" of the new
organ created is the same as that of the patient from which the cells are 
taken.  The reason this is a problem is that in most cases, individuals needing 
replacement organs are elderly.  If a new bladder is created for an 80 year old,
with current technologies, that bladder will be 80 years old as well. 


In the next 10 or 20 years, it should be possible to create many additional 
tissue types such as replacement hearts, lungs, stomachs, etc.  Most of these 
organs will be used to replace diseased tissues in elderly patients.  Wouldn't 
it be ideal if we could harvest some cells from these patients today and store 
them for their own future use?  This technology now exists and, by taking 
advantage of it, 50 year olds who store some tissue specimens today would have 
their own 50 year old cells to create spare parts for their future use several 
decades from now.  Imagine developing a medical condition such as heart or 
kidney failure some years in the future and which would require organ 
replacement to restore health.  With today's technology, a cadaver transplant 
would be required, which has numerous associated problems.  With a stored tissue
sample, however, the doctors would simply take some of your cells, which had 
been stored way back at the turn of the century (i.e., right now) and create the
needed organ.  Spare parts on demand and taken from a younger you to boot!


This technology is currently available through several companies and costs less 
than $300.  Do-it-yourself collection kits are sent directly to your home and 
all you have to do is rub a cotton-tipped swab along the inside of your cheek, 
place the specimen in a special container and mail it in.  The company will then
take your sample, perform some special cell culture techniques and then store 
it in a tank of liquid nitrogen until if and when you might need some of these 
cells in the (hopefully distant) future. 


Most people are not ready to consider the prospects for freezing their entire 
bodies ("cryonics") with a view towards future "reanimation" after their death.
In the type of cryonics under discussion in this article, only a sample of 
your cells are frozen, while you are still alive. This represents an 
intermediate step which opens the door to an entirely new vista of life 
extension possibilities. It is painless and quite affordable.  I have already 
made arrangements to cryonically preserve part of myself and my family, and I 
suggest that you learn more about this exciting new technology for yourself and 
your loved ones.  For more information check out 
http://www.liv4evr.com/recommended_products/youthcell.asp.

Long life and best wishes,

Terry Grossman, M.D.
Medical Director, 
Frontier Medical Institute
2801 Youngfield St., Suite 117
Denver CO 80401
(303) 233-4247


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