X-Message-Number: 2203 From: Subject: CRYONICS: Relatives - FAQ FIX Date: Wed, 5 May 93 02:12:18 PDT To Cryonet >From Steve Bridge, President Alcor Life Extension Foundation May 4, 1993 In Message # , there is a big clunking hole in the text, left because I sent a version I was editing rather than the final version. The correction is added here. My apologies for any confusion beyond my own. ******** Up until about two years, Alcor required that prospective members complete a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care to validate their suspension arrangements. ["Durable" is a required term -- it means that it only takes effect when the patient becomes incompetent to manage his own health care.] This document gives the "Attorney-in-fact" or "Medical Surrogate" the authority to make medical decisions on behalf of a patient who is unconscious or otherwise incompetent. This authority is essential to make sure both that you get the kind of medical care necessary for your survival in the hospital and that this kind of care can be ENDED when it is obvious that it will do more harm than good (from the cryonicist's point of view). We stopped making it a *sign-up* requirement; but still intended to press members to fill them out. Unfortunately, that was not always done, and we may consider again making this a required document. It is now our recommendation (not yet a "requirement" either; but we are considering it) that a Patient's Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care give the authority for medical care to someone who is a *cryonicist* and not a relative. If you have a relative who is a cryonicist, that will often be okay. But it is a poor idea in most cases to give that power to a relative who may not understand your needs. Having even well-intentioned non-cryonicists making members' medical decisions has sometimes led to less-than ideal suspensions, including longer ischemic times and inappropriate medical care. **************************************************************** end of correction Steve Bridge Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=2203