X-Message-Number: 3100
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 94 16:55:26 CDT
From: 
Subject: CRYONICS

Dear CryoNet,

	Although I don't have access to the text from this computer, 
one of the respondents to Steve Harris last night (Dave Pizer?) 
criticized Dr. Harris for storing "his" patients in a high seismic risk 
area in California.  I don't understand this criticism because Dr. 
Harris is not in any way involved with storage of cryonics patients 
in California, or anywhere else for that matter to my knowledge.  
Dr. Harris is a director and Transport Team member of 
BioPreservation, Inc., a company which performs transport and 
perfusion services for cryonics patients on a contract basis.  
BioPreservation has not, does not, and has expressed no plans to 
store cryonics patients.

	The only cryonics organizations with plans to store patients 
in Southern California are the CryoCare Foundation and American 
Cryonics Society.  Dr. Harris is not involved in the management of 
either organization.  If Mr. Pizer wants to personally criticize 
people for storing patients in SoCal, these criticisms should be 
directed at me (a Patient Care Director of CryoCare) and perhaps 
Jim Yount of ACS, not Dr. Harris.

	CryoCare has a storage agreement with CryoSpan, Inc. in 
Southern California because CryoSpan has committed itself to a 
high level of care, seismic risks notwithstanding.  CryoSpan has 
promised to either move out of California or install seismic 
engineer-certified vault protection within the next year.  If these 
pledges are not fulfilled in a timely manner CryoCare will move its 
CryoSpan patients (currently none) elsewhere.

	Yes, the cryonics landscape has become complicated in the 
past year.  I do believe, however, that those of us "in the trenches" 
have an obligation to understand it.  A time may come, for 
example,  when organizations will look to each other for support in 
emergencies.  During such times it will be important to realize that 
CryoCare, ACS, BioPreservation, CI, and CryoSpan are distinct 
and independent entities.  Lives may depend on it (even Alcor 
lives).

							--- Brian Wowk

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