X-Message-Number: 8757 Date: Tue, 11 Nov 1997 02:33:44 -0500 From: Paul Wakfer <> Subject: After Suspended Animation is Perfected Rather than reply to Thomas Donaldson's message concerning the relevance of perfected suspended animation to cryonics, I will attempt to portray how I believe the world may operate once suspended animation is perfected and established as an elective medical procedure available to terminal patients at major hospitals throughout the US (and eventually, the world). 1. As today only those people who wish to be cryopreserved "no matter what state they are in" will pre-enroll with a cryonics organization for that procedure. 2. For *all* people medical insurance, HMOs, or the equivalent will pay for suspended animation as a standard benefit of medical care. Insurers will be very keen to do this because they will be saved the enormous expense of patient terminal care. In fact, it is even possible that those who agree beforehand to suspended animation upon becoming terminal will get a reduced medical insurance rate. IMO, there is also the possibility, which will have to be carefuly guarded against, that once it is perfected, suspended animation may become *mandatory* for all terminal conditions in order to avoid the enormous costs of terminal care. Certainly, this might be the case for those on government medicare programs. And how about mandatary reversible suspended animation as a cost saving measure for all criminals under "life" sentences? 3. Terminal patients will elect suspended animation well before major deterioration takes place because they will want the best chance for the procedure to be successful. As with major elective operations today (none of which are 100% safe), there will be a conflict between the patient's current enjoyment of, and desire to continue life, and the requirement that, for best chance of success, the procedure should take place before the patient is too debilitated. The decision making process here will be quite dependent on the particular disease causing the terminal condition, whether it is gradual such as Alzheimer's, aging, aids, etc., short term such as organ failure, some cancers, etc. or a very acute mortal condition, but with the patient still conscious. In addition, the decision making process will involve consideration of the estimated time before the patient's particular terminal disease might by curable, his current social relationships, age, etc. 4. Ambulances personnel, emergency technicians, etc. will be well trained to begin suspended animation procedures even on the way to the hospital, if possible, as soon as a medical decsion has been made that the patient cannot be currently restored. This is quite reasonable since the beginning of a reversible suspended animation procedure is at the same time the optimal method of stabilizing and preserving a patient to maximize his chances of current restoration. 5. The decision of what to do with an unconscious patient will proceed as follows. First, just as today, all possible attempts will be made to allow the patient to be cured from whatever ails him and to continue his life. If that cannot be done, then the next part of the decision will depend on whether the patient is in such a state that a reversible suspended animation procedure can be performed. If it can, then that will be done unless the patient carries a wallet card, braclet, etc. saying that he does not wish to be placed in suspended animation. (Or maybe the reverse, his card will have to state that he *does* want it.) 6. If the patient is in such a state that a reversible suspended animation cannot be performed, just as now, the patient will be eventually be declared legally dead. However, if he has a wallet card, bracelet, etc. that states that he belongs to a cryonics organization, they will be informed (by the EMT's as soon as he is found), and the patient will be kept perfused and viable as much as is possible until his cryonics transport team arrives. (There will, of course, be a team in every major city by that time.) 7. In summary, just as is now the case, each person will decide ahead of time whether he wishes to be cryopreserved even if non reversibly (with the current technology). If he does, then he will have to sign-up with some cyronics provider ahead of time and direct some life insurance for that purpose. However, as opposed to today, each person will also have to decide, not necessarily before becoming terminal, whether he wishes to undergo reversible suspended animation so that he may continue life in the future. 8. Notice that because the vast majority of deaths *do not* occur acutely, the *vast majority* of those wishing to live as long as possible (cryonicists and life-extensionists) will be able to elect reversible suspended animation long before they have deteriorated very badly. Even many of those who die acutely will still be able to be reversibly suspended, and for that small percentage who can not be, the very best possible processing that the medical and cryonics facilities of the time can provide will be effected. The Prometheus Project through its newly established promotional, fundraising and educational charitable trust, the Full Length Life Society, will be doing its utmost to see that something very similar to this vison of society's future operation becomes reality. The Prometheus pilot project is now in its final planning stages and pledgers have already committed $6,000 to start things going. If you wish to help this vision come about and to help this revolutionary effort proceed as quickly as possible, please send your charitable donation checks to: Paul Wakfer, trustee for FLLS 1220 E Washington St #24 Colton, CA 92324 If you have any questions before committing funds, please phone or send me email at the address below. I apologize for not having a web site which is current on Prometheus activities and arrangements. This will be done before the end of November and will be announced here. -- Paul -- Paul Wakfer email: Voice/Fax:909-481-9620 Page:800-805-2870 HELP TO ACHIEVE - PERFECTED SUSPENDED ANIMATION WITHIN 20 YEARS! Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=8757