X-Message-Number: 23062 Date: Tue, 09 Dec 2003 10:08:08 -0700 From: Mike Perry <> Subject: Alcor Policy on Cell Storage The following from the Dec. 7 _Alcor News_ ( http://four.pairlist.net/pipermail/alcornews/2003/000022.html) should answer the question raised recently by Randy Wicker about Alcor's policies relating to cell storage. Cell Storage [by Tanya Jones, Chief Operating Officer, Alcor Life Extension Foundation] Dr. Mike Perry brought a Cryonet message to my attention the other day where Alcor policy was questioned. (http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/dsp.cgi?msg=22945). In it, Randy Wicker quoted Mike at length as to how most cryonicists do not consider a DNA sample to be a successful or sufficient cryopreservation. When he implied that this attitude is reflected in Alcor's policy, Mr. Wicker was correct. To my knowledge, no one at Alcor believes a twin is an adequate representation of a person who lived, loved, learned and eventually was cryopreserved. We'll save the limited representation of a cell sample, if that is all that can be saved, but we prefer much greater completeness--there should at least be substantial brain structure. Mr. Wicker continues, "The issue is why Alcor (in particular) but not Cryonics Institute refuses to allow members the option of saving their cells for possible future cloning." One point to make is that Alcor _requires_ that its _members_ be signed up for cryopreservation, a policy not necessarily followed in other organizations. (Each organization will, of course, have its own requirements and policies which a prospective member--however the organization chooses to define it--must investigate.) Again, to be "signed up for cryopreservation" with Alcor it is not sufficient merely to have arrangements to store a cell sample. Alcor does, however, encourage its members to deposit a DNA sample in its dewars, and we even went so far as to send out sample kits to all our members some years back. There are hundreds of those samples logged and stored in our vaults. Granted, perhaps we have been somewhat remiss in the follow-up for our newer members, but the issue is not that we _refuse_ to store those cells. The issue is instead that we refuse to represent cloning as sufficient for successful reanimation. Custody of cell samples, pet or otherwise, remains with the Owner. That Owner must be an Alcor member (again, signed up for cryopreservation), but the Owner has the option to decide what is done with stored property. The bottom line here is that the Owner can use the sample for cloning, but that Alcor will not. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=23062