X-Message-Number: 4542
Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1995 21:32:08 -0400 (EDT)
From: Methuselah <>
Subject: Cancellable Suspension Services Contracts

I appreciated reading the messages from Jim Yount of ACS and Mike Darwin 
of BPI, regarding the cancellation of their suspension services 
contract.  Both were filled with expressions of continued good will.  
Included were a few facts as to what brought about the cancellation.  
Relevant excerpts follow, and after that, a few comments and questions 
from me.

>From Jim Yount:

> In Mike Darwin's notice of cancellation he indicated he needed more time
> for research and felt the importance of that research warranted
> cancellation of our contract to help provide the needed time.  Although
> Mike and BioPreservation have benefited significantly (as has ACS) from our
> contracting, ACS can't hope to match the expected cash flow to BPI from
> research contracts.
> 
> In short, we continue to enjoy good
> relations with Mike, and should his services again be made available to us,
> on a contract basis, we are certainly interested.

And from Mike Darwin:

> I want to echo Jim Yount's comments, and add a few my own.
> 

> But, back to the subject at hand.  I enjoyed working with ACS very much, oddly
> enough, more so than with any other cryonics organization I've dealt with.  
> 
> ACS always paid me well for my work, expressed gratitude and showed a genuine
> eagerness to learn and grow. 
> 

> It was a difficult and painful decision to opt out of the ACS contract.  I 
hope

> that with the passage of a little more time, perhaps things will change so 
that
> I can again offer my services to ACS members.

While I fully appreciate the need for research and attention to it, 
everyone needs a refreshing break from time to time, and I would think a 
suspension would provide that.  I have not read or heard about enough 
suspensions being done by BPI to make them a daily or even weekly grind.  
Without any intent of starting any rumors, flames, wars or any other ill 
will, I'm just honestly having a problem understanding this reason.

If BPI is involved in research that is *so* important it is on the verge 
of some immense breakthrough, or whatever, what is supposed to happen to 
the poor ACS signup who happens to deanimate in the interim between 
contracts (assuming a new one happens sometime, which both parties said 
they would like to see occur)?  

Mr. Darwin says he hopes in "a little more time, perhaps things will 
change" - what things?  Important research completed?  Again, in the 
meantime, what are ACS signups supposed to do?

The only other cryonics organization I know of which (presumably still) 
has a contract with BPI is CryoCare.  Mr. Darwin said he enjoyed working 
with ACS more than any other organization - I assume this includes 
CryoCare?

Is CryoCare's contract with BPI also cancellable without a reasonable 
period of advance notice?

If not, why are they any different from ACS?

And, assuming BPI still has a contract with CryoCare, why wasn't it 
cancelled the same time as the one with ACS, if "more time for research" 
is the real reason?

Again, I'm a potential cryonics services customer, and am not yet "signed 
up" with any national organization.  I'm still in the process of 
evaluating credentials, and it doesn't always seem to be easy to sort out 
the facts from the other stuff.  My queries here are for no other reason 
than to determine the most reliable service provider.  

IMO, the highest level possible of reliability in providing suspension 
services is second in importance only to dependable long-term storage, in 
assessing the qualifications of a cryonics provider.  I've looked at 
CryoCare, which motivates my interest in the questions above.  Without 
detouring into the issue of "bundled" vs. "unbundled" organizational 
styles, both of which have many pros and cons, one thing is obvious 
here:  if suspension services are contracted out, either the contracts 
need a longer cancellation-notice period, or multiple contracts are 
indicated, if not both.

All comments welcome, including any by private email which will be kept 
in confidence for my personal benefit only.  I would, however, encourage 
public factual postings for the benefit of all.

Guy Gipson



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