FAQ - Cryonics organizations

In 2004 there were only four organizations offering various cryonic services including conclusion of contracts, preparation for cryopreservation and cryopreservation.

1. Which cryonics organizations offer all possible services in cryopreservation?

2. What’s the difference between these organizations?

3. Haven’t the Cryonics Institute and the American Cryonics Society been united?

4. What is the origin of the name Alcor?

5. What measures are taken to impede people who are not cryonicists taking control over these organizations?

6. What other cryonics companies offer cryonic services?

7. Are there any more cryonics organizations, what are they?

8. Where can one get more information about organizations offering cryopreservation services?
 

 

1. Which cryonics organizations offer all possible services in cryopreservation?

All these organizations are in the United States:

(1) Life Extension Foundation Alcor, Scottsdale, http://www.alcor.org/
(2) American Cryonics Society (ACS), Cupertino, California, http://www.AmericanCryonics.org/
(3) Cryonics Institute (CI), Clinton, http://www.cryonics.org/ 
(4) Trans Time, Incorporated, Oakland, California, http://www.transtime.com/ 
(5) KrioRus, Moscow (Russia), http://kriorus.ru/

2. What’s the difference between those organizations?
 

Trans Time company has only two patients and this organization isn’t too active promoting its services.  American Cryonics Society (ACS) doesn’t possess equipment for patients storage and concludes contracts with other cryonics companies for cryopreservation services, and they send patients to be stored at the Cryonics Institute.  ACS offers cryopreservation of whole body for 150 000 $. Trans Time is a commercial company and ACS is run on a charitable basis – 501(c)3.

Alcor and the Cryonics Institute (CI) have their own cryopreservation equipment and cryopreservation facilities. Over three fourths of the Alcor patients are neuropatients and CI doesn’t offer neuropreservation, only full body preservation mainly because CI specialists consider the cryopreservation of the human head only isn’t acceptable for most people.

Alcor charges 80 000 $ for neuropreservation and cryopreservation of whole body costs 150 000 $. The Cryonics Institute offers the following charges for whole body crypreservation: 28 000 $ (lifetime membership − 1 250 $) or 35 000 (membership with annual payment 120 $). CI employs funeral service workers for conducting cryopreservation procedure and is less strict as for the patients storage.

3. Haven’t the Cryonics Institute and the American Cryonics Society been united?

No, they haven’t. American Cryonics Society (ACS) doesn’t possess equipment of their own for patients storage that is why all its patients are stored at the Cryonics Institute.

In 2002 an agreement was signed between these two organizations which offered membership to almost 100 workers of CI if they would pay 20 000 $, and it also guaranteed storage in the “Bigfoot” dewar. ACS member doesn’t automatically become member of the Cryonics Institute. In each case ACS is to confirm such membership. All of nearly 20 ACS patients who are currently kept at the Cryonics Institute got member’s status at CI after it was approved by ACS, though some other members of ACS didn’t receive CI membership.

4. What is the origin of the name Alcor?

This name was invented by Fred and Linda Chamberlain who founded Alcor in 1972. Alcor is a star in the handle of the Big Dipper constellation which is a double star system together with a bigger and brighter star Mizar.

In ancient times a capability of discerning Alcor and Mizar was considered a sigh of very sharp vision. This name served to suggest an idea that people choosing cryonics to extend their life have deep vision and intuition. This name is also an abbreviation of Allopathic CryOgenic Rescue.

Fred and Linda preferred to use the term “cryogenics”, not cryonics, since cryonics was mostly treated badly in the society, by afterwards they still decided to return the term “cryonics”. (Allopathy is a notion opposite to homeopathy – instead of using substances causing similar symptoms to treat a disease substances with opposite characteristics are used).

5. What measures are taken to impede people who are not cryonicists taking control over these organizations?

The Board of directors of the Alcor company is a self-elected organ – new members can be elected only by the present members. The Board of directors of the Cryonics Institute is elected by direct voting of the Institute members. Alcor, the American Cryonics Society and the Cryonics Institute are non-profitable organizations, but Alcor and ACS are run on a principle of charity − 501(c)3.

6. What other cryonics companies offer cryonic services?

Suspended Animation, Inc. (Florida) offers such cryonic services as standby, cooling, blood washout, perfusion and transportation, but it doesn’t store patients. Suspended Animation is a non-profitable organization which mostly conducts scientific research whereas other services – standby during cryopreservation and transportation - are secondary. Suspended Animation cooperates with ACS and the Cryonics Institute when their members need standby and transportation services performed by professional cryonicists. (For more detailed information on CI contracts see: CI contracts.)

Reanimation Foundation offers certain cryonics services: storage of money in a special fund in Liechtenstein for those people who want to have extra financial resources for reanimation, but nowadays they apparently don’t accept new members. Several local groups have equipment and offer services in cryopreservation in case of emergency either on voluntary or commercial terms. Among them, for instance, are Local cryonics group in Toronto, Cryonics Europe и Life Extension Society. You can read more detailed information in the article Emergency Preparedness for a Local Cryonics Group.)

7. Are there any other cryonics organizations, what are they?

Most of other cryonics organizations are educational or regional, for instance, Cryonics Society of Canada, Japanese Cryonics Association, etc. A detailed listing of cryonics organizations (with references) can be found here: DMOZ Open Directory Project.

8. Where can one get more information about organizations offering cryopreservation services?

See: Comparing Policies and Procedures
 

 

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