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!

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