X-Message-Number: 6478
Date: 08 Jul 96 13:07:11 EDT
From: "Kent, Saul" <>
Subject: Coming Together

	I'm very happy to see the support of Carlos Mondragon and
Dave Consenza for The Prometheus Project. This is one area in which
we not only *can* come together, but, I believe, we *must* come together
in order to improve our chances of survival.

	Carlos has raised some important issues that need to be 
addressed in terms of the business plan for The Project. He is also
correct, I believe, in his opinion that "the most critical part of
the scientific plan is recruitment of personnel." I want to report that
efforts have already been made (and are continuing to be made) to recruit
both a cryobiologist and a neurobiologist for The Project.

	Carlos is correct when he says that the usual procedure is
to recruit your personnel first and then seek to raise money, but
as he points out, this is an extraordinary situation in which we have
chosen to do the reverse of the usual process, in large part because
the recruitment of the cryobiologist we are seeking involves some
sensitive legal and political issues.

	I am also happy to see the comments and questions raised by Bob 
Ettinger about which I'd like to comment.

	In my opinion, the cryonics organizations should proceed as
follows vis-a-vis The Prometheus Project. If the organization is
already funding brain cryopreservation research (as CI is), I think
that program should continue, but that there should be an attempt to
coordinate it with the scientific plan being formulated for The
Prometheus Project.  Once The Prometheus Project begins, I believe
every effort should be made to integrate ongoing brain cryopreservation
research into The Project so that
there is as little wasted effort (and money) as possible.

	If the cryonics organization is *planning* brain cryopreservation
research, I think every effort should be made to integrate these plans
with the scientific plan being formulated for The Project. If the
organization wants to begin funding research before The Project is
ready to be launched, I believe, again, that it should be coordinated
with The Project's plan as much as possible.

	If the cryonics organization is funding, conducting, or planning
cryonics research of another kind, I believe it should continue to do
so. Some may feel that funding for one type of research is likely to 
take away funding for another, but I think the opposite is true. I
believe one of the keys to generating funding for cryonics research 
is the psychological environment regarding research in the cryonics
community as a whole. I believe that if the enthusiasm and spirit of
cooperation generated by the intial steps taken to put together The
Prometheus Project continues, it will lead to greater funding for *all*
cryonics research. I strongly believe that *right now* we have all the
resources we need (and can spare) within the cryonics community to
achieve perfected Suspended Animation within the lifespan of most
cryonicists. It's just a matter of whether we have the *will* 
to succeed.

	In short, I do *not* believe we should put all our eggs in one
basket, but that cooperation among everyone attempting to fill our 
baskets with eggs will lead to a greater number of eggs in *every* 
basket.

	I believe there will be room for various research approaches 
within The Prometheus Project based upon the advice of experts in
cryobiology (including, but not restricted to Greg Fahy) as well as
neurobiologists, biochemists, and so on. I believe that the ideas of 
many will be called upon to determine the direction in which we plan 
to go, and that any changes in direction will depend upon the results 
we get from the research.

	As far as "proprietary information" goes, I believe that
any advances that are likely to help patients "today" should be made
available to them as quickly as possible. Cryonics, as you all know,
is, by definition, a practice that utilizes unperfected technology in
the attempt to save patients' lives. Thus, I find it hard to imagine
denying the members of our organizations access to new methods for
proprietary reasons. I think we will be able to protect the rights
of the company doing the research through the filing of patents and
the publication of scientific papers and *still* make advances (as
they come about) available to patients as quickly as possible. In fact, 
I believe that the *combination* of preserving patients with improved
methods, getting patents, and publishing scientific papers is the best
bet by far to spur the growth of the cryonics movement and to stimulate
further funding for research.

	Those are my opinions on these issues. I look forward to
the opinions of others.

---Saul Kent


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