X-Message-Number: 6903
From: 
Date: Sat, 14 Sep 1996 16:37:15 -0400
Subject: SCI. CRYONICS sharing research

SCI. CRYONICS  sharing research

I have suggested that pledgers to the Prometheus Project (PP) might, right
now, donate a year's PP pledge, half to the Immortalist Society and half to
Alcor, tax exempt. (Donate, not pledge.) This would, in my opinion, help in
our effort to apply and extend the Visser method THIS YEAR, hence make a very
large step forward in cryonics research--possibly even produce superior
cryonic suspension for our very next patient (who might be someone you know).

Questions have been raised about the details of the proposed research, and
about sharing of benefits and costs, including licensing.

As to sharing, first I remind PP people that PP explicitly promises to reward
those who buy shares and to penalize those who don't (if PP yields valuable,
patentable technology). The precise size of the rewards and penalties are
left to the future PP company to determine.

Now, what might CURRENT IS/CI/Alcor research produce, and whom would it
benefit?

The first and most important result would be just to verify that the Visser
method works with larger organs--especially brains--and other species. The
IS/CI sheep heart work may do much of this within a few weeks, with luck and
money, or a few months with less luck and more money. This would probably not
result in new patents--just improve the value of the Visser patents. Is there
any cryonicist who would not want the relevance of the Visser technique
verified, and as soon as possible? Your donation could speed up the work.

Now, the sharing question again. CI and Alcor have exclusive license to the
Visser method for cryonics purposes, including the right to sub-license. On
what basis the CI and Alcor directors will offer sub-licenses remains to be
determined, just as with the PP company.

Although I can''t speak in advance for the Boards of Directors, I am pretty
sure we will be at least as reasonable as PP would be. I remind readers that
CI, for example, has freely published its results on both our storage
research and our cryobiology work; and we have given help at no cost to
competitor Paul Wakfer when Cryospan wanted to build a liquid nitrogen
transport unit and needed our technology. (Visualize, if you can, the PP
company giving something to a competitor!)

Remember also that if PP materializes, and if it produces patentable
improvements on the Visser method, then the holders of the basic patents and
of the improvement patents will have to come to some agreement.

Again on the question of details of research plans: Here also (see my post
yesterday) it is not useful, and should not be necessary, to lay everything
out in advance for the approval of all potential donors. That way lies trial
by the committee of the whole, inevitably leading to the death of a thousand
cuts. This work is being done by Dr. Pichugin and our other people, and by
Hugh Hixon and Alcor's other people, in consultation with Mrs. Visser and her
colleagues and collaborators, including experienced cryobiologists in several
countries. Many of the most senior people in cryonics are involved, including
Fred and Linda Chamberlain, founders of Alcor. If that isn't good enough for
you, that is your decision.

Thirty four years ago, when public interest in cryonics sprouted after
private publication of the first version of THE PROSPECT OF IMMORTALITY, I
thought both growth of organizations and research progress would be much
faster than the ensuing reality. But I also knew I could be wrong, and my
minimum aim was to help establish a means for my own family to secure
reasonably reliable cryostasis. That has been done. It needs much
improvement, and I want many others involved, both for their own sakes and
for the improved chances that will bring to me and mine. But if all the talk
of "unified front" is still just hot air--if it still means unification by
ingestion--then I will work with those available to secure the most and best
we can for ourselves. And we will probably do all right, since CI, IS, and
Alcor have a large majority of those active in cryonics and of patients in
storage. 

If there is any chance of a genuine united front--at least in research--then,
despite my many doubts about PP,  I repeat that I will pledge to PP, and urge
others to do so, if there are quick, substantial donations (not pledges) by
PP pledgers to IS and Alcor, in the amount of a year's PP pledge. 

Chorus: In or out of PP, if you are truly interested in hastening progress in
cryonics and in saving your own life, please make your maximum donation
NOW--half to the Immortalist Society and half to Alcor. Memo your checks to
each "Research Fund" (tax deductible).

Robert Ettinger
Cryonics Institute
Immortalist Society 
24355 Sorrentino Court
Clinton Township MI 48035


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