X-Message-Number: 7442
Date: 07 Jan 97 10:55:15 EST
From: "Kent, Saul" <>
Subject: SCI.CRYONICS - Research Vs. PR

	In Mike Darwin's discussion of the quality of care that cryonics patients
have been receiving, he comments as follows:

	"I believe altogether too much attention has been paid to the public
relations aspects of cryonics, and far too little to the harder and far more
important
problem of achieving reversible brain cryopreservation."

	I agree with Mike that not enough attention (and money) has been
spent on brain cryopreservation research, but I do not believe that spending
money for such research is in any way detrimental to public relations. On the
contrary, I believe there is nothing better we can do for our public image than
to
report the results of our research advances in our publications, at scientific
conferences, and in peer-reviewed journals.  Once the scientific community, the

media and the public perceive that cryonics methods are improving, that there is
a scientific plan and substantial funding for the achievement of suspended
animation,
that scientists with solid credentials are conducting this research, and that
perfected suspended animation is in sight, I believe they will take cryonics
more seriously, and 
that our movement will soon grow in size, scope and influence.
	
	So, the problem, as I perceive it, is not that cryonics organizations
have
been spending too much time on public relations, but that they have taken the
wrong 
approach.  I think we should spend considerable time informing the public about

the scientific, technologic, and medical advances we are making. We need to make

these advances and the public needs to know we are making them.

---Saul Kent


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