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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