X-Message-Number: 1996
Date: 19 Mar 93 19:45:01 EST
From: Paul Wakfer <>
Subject: CRYONICS  Its Time For Cryonics Re-organization

From:   Paul Wakfer
Subj:   Its Time For Cryonics Re-Organization

Why Do I Think So?

    Since cancelling my suspension contract with Alcor last fall in
protest at the lack of change in the face of major concerns expressed
by a large number of Alcor's most active clientele, because of total
lack of confidence in the quality of any suspension that I might
receive from Alcor's suspension team, and in disgust at the way in
which Alcor's management was handling its operations and finances, I
have waited patiently for the changes which are necessary to satisfy my
concerns and encourage me to reinstate my contract.  After attending
the monthly Alcor business meeting on March 7, 1993, where one of the
finest men in cryonics, a physician who was not named, was publicly
accused of being responsible for the loss (and likely death without
suspension) of an Alcor suspension client; where a request for sending
out an all-cost-paid survey to Alcor suspension clients asking them if
they wished to be able to choose between Alcor's suspension team and
Mike Darwin's suspension team, was denied, and where the Board refused
to discuss openly whether Alcor should even offer such a choice; and
where discussion of the procurement of a new building was so nebulous
and indecisive that such procurement is almost bound to fail again, I
have come to the conclusion that *ITS TIME FOR CRYONICS RE-
ORGANIZATION*.


What Organizational Form?

    In thinking about the organizational form that would be best for
cryonics, I am fortunate to have recourse to the lessons of the past,
for cryonics organizations, and from several other organizations with
which I have been involved.  My general conclusion is that it is not
possible to design the principles, by-laws, and operating procedures of
any organization, the goals of which bear on the primary needs of its
participants, in such a way that it will continue to be true, in all
areas of its operations, to the principles, sentiments, and spirit with
which it began.  When dedicated, highly competent, multi-talented
people are in control of the organization, it will be successful even
with a poor structure.  When incompetent, malicious, or simply mediocre
uni-talented people are in control, the most refined, highly tuned, and
optimized structure will not save the organization.

    I believe that for cryonics to succeed, and by this I mean that a
reasonable fraction of people in technologically advanced areas of the
world elect to be suspended rather than be lost, and that the vast
majority of people who are suspended, are eventually reanimated, it
will be necessary for the cryonics idea to become accepted by
mainstream science and medicine, and thus by enlightened societies. 
Moreover, I believe that the tasks required to achieve this acceptance
are so diversified that many different types of individuals and
organizations are required.  It will be a very rare type of person who,
for example, is highly competent at promoting cryonics and at the same
time excels at technically demanding transport and suspension
procedures.  In addition, the structure and modes of operation of any
organization wishing to succeed in the first should almost certainly be
different from that which is needed to accomplish the second.

    My solution therefore is 1) the separation of the dissimilar tasks
that are required to effect a complete cryonics solution among
different organizations, 2) the creation of profit or non-profit
cryonics companies competing in each of the major task areas for the
growing cryonics clientele, and 3) the linking of these different
companies through a Congress of Cryonics Companies which will generate
certain minimum standards of contract and operation in each task area,
which will require transportability of client contracts between each
organization, and, with respect to patient care, which will ultimately
- for the benefit of all - guarantee the transfer to a solvent
organization, with minimum care and re-animation benefits (possibly
conversion to neuro), of all patients suspended by a member
organization should that organization become insolvent.

    The advantages of the first are 1) the efficiency engendered by the
division and specialization of individual talents and labor, and 2) the
specialization of structure and operational procedures to that which is
best for the well defined purposes and the narrow scope of the
organization.

    The advantage of the second is that, within certain parameters
generated by the third, companies can choose varying methods of
operation and provide various types and levels of services in order to
gain whichever type and number of clientele they wish.

    The advantage of the third is that a client does not get locked in
to any one cryonics company for some particular part of his/her
cryonics services.  Cryonics clients would be free to move easily
between different companies (possibly only requiring payment of a small
transfer fee to cover the paperwork plus, of course, smaller or larger
ongoing fees depending on the service plan and pricing structure of the
destination company) in order to obtain a different type or level or
service.  Moreover, as such a Congress grew in size, clients would no
longer be able, rationally, to use the possible failure of the sign-up
or patient care organization as a reason for not undertaking a
suspension contract.


Getting From Here To There

    There is now an independent suspension organization (Mike Darwin's
Biopreservation) which is committed, and will soon be fully prepared,
to do suspensions under contract to any sign-up organization.  Its
conditions are, in essence, that the person be fully funded, have legal
paperwork in place, and have a contract with a patient care facility to
accept the patient from Biopreservation upon their completion of the
suspension.
      What has been holding back myself and many others, I think, from
pursuing such thoughts is the dearth of independent patient care
facilities.  (It appears that Alcor will only accept patients which
have been signed-up and suspended by them.  With respect to TransTime,
from what I hear once into their patient care you can never get out. 
Currently the Cryonics Institute appears best for providing the patient
care for any new cryonics company's clients).  However, a major recent
development announced at that same Alcor business meeting referred to
above, is that the Comos family (Alcor members from Spain) have
purchased land in Scottsdale, AZ (part of greater Phoenix), and are
planning to start building a patient care facility there this fall.  It
is my understanding that they have gone ahead with this endeavour by
themselves because of dismay over the Alcor building procurement
debacle of 1992, and in order to have a secure place in which to house
their daughter who is in suspension at Alcor.  From the discussion,
which took place at the Alcor business meeting, I think there is little
chance that Alcor itself will move into that building.  If the Comos'
had some encouragement (from cryonicists offering to contract with them
for patient care - given reasonable conditions and arrangements), I
think it could become a major independent patient care center.

    It is my impression that many Alcor members organized into chapters
around the world are also less than thrilled at the present status of
Alcor.  What I am suggesting, therefore, is that they give serious
thought to going their own way.  They could form a congress, adopt a
set of working principles, standards and operational procedures (which
might for example stipulate that there would be a yearly election of a
"lead" organization - possibly necessary to coordinate the member
organizations between congresses, produce a newsletter, conduct
national PR, etc.), negotiate contract terms with Biopreservation for
their potential client's suspensions, negotiate with a patient care
facility for their client's care after suspension, and, finally, sign
up clients.

    This posting is an initial attempt to bring into open discussion
the rumblings of revolt which have been brewing for almost a year now,
and to present one cryonicist's abbreviated view of how things might
proceed.  More personally and urgently, I want to soon see the creation
of a new organization with which I will be happy to conclude a
suspension contract.  I hope others will respond to this posting by
offering their views on these matters.

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