X-Message-Number: 19202
Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 20:34:21 +0000
From: Philip Rhoades <>
Subject: Information about Cases
References: <>

Charles,

In principle I agree with you but I know something of the last CI case 
(he was from Australia) - the family absolutely did _not_ want any 
media attention _at all_ (I am still trying to arrange a 
"non-disclosure" TV interview where the son's face is blanked out - but 
it probably won't happen).  I can see how someone with a bit of 
investigative zeal could work out who a suspendee was and if the 
suspension had not gone well it could cause grief or embarrassment to 
the family if it became public.

For people/families who are within the "movement" it is a different 
matter - the more info the better.

R&LL,

Phil.

> Message #19195
> Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2002 05:40:09 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Charles Platt <>
> Subject: Information about Cases
> 
> I am interested to learn from Bob Ettinger the rationale for CI's
> preference not to publish full case reports.
> 
> Lack of detailed information about cryonics cases is of course not
> just a
> situation prevailing at CI; it has been (from my perspective) a
> problem at
> all organizations from time to time. During some Alcor cases in the
> past
> two years, a relatively small amount of data were collected, and
> virtually
> none was published. Alcor is now moving actively to improve this
> situation, and I am participating to a modest extent (I have written a
> report of a recent Alcor case, which will be published in the next
> issue of Alcor's quarterly magazine).
> 
> Personally I believe that as much information as possible should be
> collected and published. If this is a known policy, team members will
> be
> more highly motivated. If an organization has a strict requirement to
> make
> all details public (within limits imposed by any desire of the patient
> for
> confidentiality), the organization will gain respect for its integrity
> and
> will never be tempted to cover up its errors. If logistical successes
> or
> encouraging clinical data are shared, we can all benefit from the
> knowledge. If we see how errors occurred, we will be better able to
> avoid
> them in the future. Since human lives are at stake, this is not a
> trivial
> matter.
> 
> I absolutely believe that cryonics, like government, is best done as
> publicly as possible.
> 
> There is an obvious comparison, here, between the US and Soviet space
> programs in the 1960s. The US program was fully revealed, including
> all
> errors and disasters. The Soviets only announced their successes.
> History
> suggests that the US did not suffer from its policy in the long term.

-- 
Philip Rhoades

Pricom Pty Limited  (ACN  003 252 275)
GPO Box 3411
Sydney NSW	2001
Australia
Mobile:  +61:0411-185-652
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