X-Message-Number: 13821
Date: Fri, 2 Jun 2000 00:22:14 -0400
From: "Stephen W. Bridge" <>
Subject: Neuro safety and pricing

To CryoNet
From Steve Bridge
June 1, 2000

In respose to:   Message #13810
                             From: "Thomas Nord" <>
                             Subject: Re: Pricing
                             Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2000 05:38:54 +0200

>"Second:  The actual operations involved in getting the patient into
cryostasis
>are about $33,000.   Whole body patients provide $120,000 in funding
(about
>$70,000 goes into the Patient Care Trust).  Neuro patients provide $50,000
>in funding (about $17,000 goes into the Patient Care Trust)."
>
>Hey, did I miss something? I thought the neuros needed more research etc,
or
>do they need a lot less due to the slimmer chances?

Slimmer chances?  That is a big assumption.  It may in fact be MORE
difficult and expensive to repair and to make young every cell in the aged,
cancer-ridden, broken down bodies that many patients will take into the
suspension tank.  Simpler,  perhaps, to concentrate on the brain repair and
regrow a fresh body for the patient, probably regrowing the entire body
around the repaired brain.

We don't know the answer, actually.  My guess is that the costs may turn
out to be similarly inexpensive per unit -- once the initial incredibly
expensive research and planning are done.

The pricing factor for what goes into the Alcor Patient Trust is primarily
based on liquid nitrogen use.  We can fit 4 whole body patients into one
Bigfoot storage dewar; but the same unit can hold up to *40* neuropatients.
  In a full tank, a neuropatient only uses 10% of the nitrogen that a whole
body patient does.  Based on LN2 alone, we could place only $7,000 in the
Trust for each neuropatient; but of course, it isn't that simple. 
Administrative costs for all patients are the same, and all will need
repair and rehabilitation.

We also encourage all members to OVERfund their suspensions so we can place
even more into the Trust as a cushion.  I have double funding myself.

For a longer discussion on neurosuspension that I wrote several years ago,
please see:

http://www.alcor.org/neuro.txt

Steve Bridge
Alcor Foundation Director

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