X-Message-Number: 3047
From: 
Date: Fri, 02 Sep 94 11:51:32 EDT
Subject: SCI. CRYONICS rsrch, recruitment

 Richard Schroeppel correctly observes that it is little more than a wild
guess to say that for $5 million in research we could have reversible brain
cryopreservation within a few years. Such estimates, in light of history, are
very nearly worthless. It is also very nearly useless to say that "if only X
number of people would contribute Y dollars each, we could..." 

But it is also true that important advances MIGHT occur  much sooner and at
much less cost. As many readers know, the Cryonics Institute has commissioned
Ukrainian scientists (and may also engage Russian scientists) to verify and
expand our own sheep head research, with hints already of possibly improved
results. We plan to continue these efforts, and will welcome suggestions,
criticism, and contributions from any source. All results will be public.

Perry Metzger says he would pledge $20/month to a 501(c)3 organization for
research. The Immortalist Society is such an organization, and will also
support the European research (which seems to offer much more bang for the
buck than most U.S. work). This is not pie-in-the-sky, but an ongoing,
practical, incremental program of research directly applicable to our
concerns.

On the recruitment question, Mr. Schroeppel says, again correctly, that a
great many people have at least a superficial familiarity with cryonics, with
cost often the hangup. Here again--in my opinion--we do not need any new,
brilliant, grandiose schemes in order to make steady progress, and at some
point explosive progress when a psychological turning point is reached. We
just have to keep on doing what we're doing, and try to do it a little
better.

In particular, the Cryonics Institute has always maintained its low
suspension/storage fee of $28,000 minimum, and this has steadily declined in
inflation-adjusted terms. With flexible options, this is affordable for most
Americans, even the elderly. However, we have maintained a low profile,
because we didn't want to invite journalists to our old facility, which is
small and in an unattractive location. The result has been that most people
do not even know we exist, and think suspension/storage must cost over
$100,000 for full body. 

Even so, we are the second largest cryonics organization by most criteria,
and first in full-body patients. Now we have bought a new facility, and in a
couple of months expect to be ready to invite journalists. This is nearly
certain to result in more rapid growth for CI, which will also indirectly
help the other organizations.

The drumfire of advances in bioscience is making our position more credible
every year, almost every day. The wind is at our backs, and we only have to
be careful and diligent. 

Robert Ettinger
Cryonics Institute
Immortalist Society


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