X-Message-Number: 32660
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:25:15 +0000 (UTC)
From: Melody Maxim <>
Subject: Response to John de Rivaz (Message 32651)


With all due respect to Mr. de Rivaz, I think it's unproductive to attempt to 
justify the extremely poor quality of care, in cryonics, by remarking on 
mistakes made in conventional medicine. The errors he mentions are fairly rare, 
when compared to the tremendous number of procedures being performed, in 
conventional medicine. I worked in open-heart surgery, for nearly a decade, and 
96-97% of our patients lived to tell about it. (The small percentage, which did 
not, was largely comprised of people who arrived at the hospital in very 
critical condition.) Over the course of approximately 1,500 open-heart 
procedures, I can only recall witnessing two serious errors. The people who made
those errors immediately acknowledged them and took full responsibility for 
them; thankfully, both cases had good outcomes. As I previously wrote, on 
Cryonet:

"...a company trying to suspend people for decades, or centuries, 
should certainly be capable of performing hypothermic procedures, which were 
perfected decades ago, should they not? Yet, what would happen, if we were to 
substitute Alcor and/or SA staff members and equipment for what would normally 
be found in open-heart procedures? Would approximately 96% of their patients 

survive, as in conventional medicine? Given what I've seen, my bet would be 100%
would die. It's absurd to think people who can't even begin to match given 
technology, which has existed for decades, can surpass it."


When errors do get made, in conventional medicine, the people involved are held 
accountable. The same is not true, in cryonics, where people who make serious 
blunders have been praised for having "cryonics experience." Experience is 
meaningless, if it is negative experience, or no progress comes of it.


As for Mr. de Rivaz' comment, regarding cryonics patients being "unaware of what
is happening," I think most of the people willing to pay up to $150K for a 
cryo-suspension are unaware of what is happening, overall, in the cryonics 
industry.

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