X-Message-Number: 26721
From: 
Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2005 16:16:07 EDT
Subject: Response time & reliability

Not everybody has a clear understanding of the differences between CI and  
Alcor regarding the initial stages of suspension.
 
First, as to the importance (or not) of M.D. availability on the  preparation 
team, we may recall that for quite a few years the Alcor team  leaders were 
Jerry Leaf and Mike Darwin (Federowicz), neither of them an M.D.,  although 
Jerry had surgical training with animals as a perfusionist. Also, for  years, 
Alcor's lead surgeon was a veterinarian. Nobody, inside or outside of  Alcor, 
complained about lack of qualifications, as far as I know.
 
(Incidentally, Riskin has asked for comparisons of numbers of  doctorates in 
the memberships, suggesting that if Alcor has more that says  something about 
quality. Well, by that logic, one could compare doctors who  approve of 
cryonics and those who don't, which suggests that everybody in  cryonics is an 
idiot. If you're looking for consensus, the consensus is that  cryonics is 

ridiculous if not fraudulent. And I think I can guarantee one  thing--that if CI
passes Alcor in number of doctorate members, Riskin will not  then concede 
anything.)
 
Now back to response time and reliability. Case 1--little or no warning,  
member not close to the organization's facility. Here there will almost  

certainly be much quicker response from a local mortician, if advance  
arrangements 
have been made. We have lots of examples.
 
Case 2--advance warning, a reasonable window. In this case Alcor promises a  
standby team, no extra charge, I believe, within certain parameters.  But  

note that, in such case, the patient could be under hospice care,  either at 
home 
or in a hospital, which would allow CI to have a standby of one  sort or 
another and greatly reduce red tape.
 
What kind of CI standby? There are several possibilities, to be worked out  
with the member in advance. The most expensive is through Suspended  
Animation--but that total still comes to much less than Alcor charges!
 
For those who don't know or have forgotten, Suspended Animation is heavily  
subsidized by Saul Kent and Bill Faloon. I  believe they are Alcor members,  
but apparently are not satisfied with Alcor standby. They think SA can do  

better. They are willing to spend millions to get the best for themselves. CI  
has 
a contract with SA, while Alcor does not. 
 
The reason seems to be that Alcor insists on total control, while CI is  

willing to be flexible at the member's choice. (For example, as I understand it,
Alcor will  not store someone who is prepared by another organization. CI  

will accept someone for storage, if there is a contract, regardless of who did
the initial work.)  
 
Now the question of perfusion by local morticians. This was an option that  
sometimes seemed desirable, before CI had a vitrification procedure. At 
present,  it may generally be better to ship the patient to Michigan for 

vitrification,  after relatively simple local preparation. Ben may want to say 
more.
 
Once more, it's all in flux, with rapid changes. Each organization is doing  
what it thinks best. 
 
Robert Ettinger
 


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