X-Message-Number: 13111
From: 
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 20:27:54 EST
Subject: freezing the aborted

Freezing aborted fetuses is an old idea, discussed and abandoned several 
times. It has obvious potential attractions, but, in the opinion of most who 
have considered it, the downside dominates. Here are some of the risks:

1. It would be seen by some as encouraging abortion, and arouse active 
opposition not only against the practice but against cryonics generally. (It 
might also arouse more sympathy in some quarters, but that would be less 
important.)

2. "Right to life" people are unlikely to become more sympathetic, partly for 
the reason mentioned above, and partly because, for many of them, the issue 
is not really "right to life" but opposition to interference with "nature." 
Some of the churches oppose freezing sperm, eggs, or embryos, even though 
this tends to save or increase life.

3. Although it is cheap to store a small piece of tissue, it would not be 
cheap to deal with the prospective clients; and those clients would tend to 
be unstable and unreliable people. A large investment of time and effort in 
each potential client would be required, and those turned down might complain 
loudly. Lawsuits are guaranteed, with guaranteed losses in some jurisdictions.

Sad, but best forget it. Let's keep on trying to save ourselves and the 
people we know.

Robert Ettinger
Cryonics Institute
Immortalist Society
http://www.cryonics.org

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