Category Archives: Cryonics

When considering the various aspects of cooling, transporting and storing human bodies, at cryogenic temperatures, did anyone at Alcor, or the LEF-funded organizations, think of googling "cryogenic freezers"? Did they consult with any of the companies, which manufacture cryogenic containers? Let me guess...instead of consulting with experts in the manufacture of cryogenic containers, most research dollars directed toward that area of cryonics went into the pockets of people like Wowk, Harris and Platt, and other LEF-funded staff members, or to companies like Home Depot, (where I'm sure all reputable manufacturers of cryogenic containers, and other medical equipment, purchase their supplies).

I saw it, myself, at SA...huge amounts of money being spent on the amateur efforts of several highly-paid staff members, attempting to build a cryogenic container, when a basic professionally-built model could have been had for approximately $2500. This was just one of the many kooky "R&D" projects, at SA. When is Saul Kent going to realize he hasn't been funding valid "research," in regard to projects such as these? How many times has anyone, outside the very small sea of cryonics, been impressed, by any of their DIY equipment projects?

Alcor and Cryonics Institute suspend their clients in liquid nitrogen vapor. Have they addressed the issues of temperature variation in this type of storage? What about contamination issues? Do they acknowledge these issues to their members, and potential members, (people who may be charged up to $200,000, to be suspended in liquid nitrogen vapor, at Alcor)?

From this article http://www.btc-bti.com/applications/cryogenicstorage.htm :

"In larger liquid nitrogen freezers, vapor phase gradients have been documented to span the glass transition temperature of water, at times reaching -72°C (White and Wharton, 1984), -70°C (Wolfinbarger, 1998), and -95°C (Rowley and Byrne, 1992). The wide temperature ranges observed with liquid nitrogen storage systems is inherent to their operation...

...Below -130°C, even the most temperature sensitive cells are estimated to survive for hundreds of years. However, above this temperature the longevity of cells is reduced to months."

There's a lot of interesting information in the above article, and many others, which have been published by people experienced in the construction of cryogenic containers. Wouldn't contracting with such a company be the logical thing to do, rather than funding amateur design and engineering projects? A few more tens of millions of dollars, and another couple of decades, and perhaps the amateur engineers of the cryonics industry will catch up to where the manufacturers of cryogenic containers were, 20 years ago.

Don't let these people fool you, (or take your $200K, or your trust fund, or estate). Others have been capable of cryogenically freezing things, (both large and small), within a narrow range, just below glass transition temperatures, ("intermediate temperature storage"), for years. Just google "cryogenic freezer glass transition," (without the quotation marks), and see for yourself.

For anyone who has been wondering what inspired my last blog entry, it was the recent news about 21CM's intermediate temperature storage (ITS) unit, at Alcor. I was just wondering why Alcor didn't call up one of the many companies that manufacture cryogenic freezers, instead of funding another DIY project.

Did Brian Wowk, Stephen Valentine and Michael Iarocci bill LEF a small fortune, over a long period of time, for their ITS project, (and the cost of a patent), when a cryogenic freezer manufacturer could have delivered a spec-device, in a short time, for a reasonable price? How long has the ITS project been going on, and how many decades will it continue? Will it ever end, or will it linger on, like the liquid ventilation project? What is the true value of the associated patent?

Why DO cryonics companies seem determined to do nothing more than continually engage in endless engineering projects, mostly carried out by amateurs? Year-after-year, decade-after-decade, little-to-no REAL scientific research...just endless equipment fabrication projects, when most of the equipment could be purchased. Wouldn't it make more sense to outsource the ITS project, to a company that specializes in cryogenic containers, so that biophysicist Brian Wowk could work on improving those extremely toxic vitrification solutions?

Recently, on lesswrong.com, Dr. Wowk seemed to be arguing that Alcor's solutions are so extremely toxic, it doesn't matter how much additional damage the amateur patient care providers, at Suspended Animation and/or Alcor, inflict on Alcor's members, while attempting to perform the medical procedures needed to deliver the washout and vitrification solutions. So, why does his primary work seem to involve inventing/engineering? Has anyone, (other than Saul Kent, or Alcor), expressed interest in the patents of Brian Wowk, Steve Harris, and others being funded by LEF?

Yesterday, on the Cold Filter forum, Charles Platt indicated he doesn't believe Alcor meets the requirements of a non-profit agency. (I, and others, agree.) Mr. Platt seems to think Alcor could meet the requirements by engaging in, yet another, Rube Goldberg-esque project. In regard to an intermediate temperature storage unit, he laments "... I would not be surprised if the prospect of fabricating something more complex and totally different would seem very unwelcome to people at Alcor who feel they have better things to do...While I was at Alcor in 2003, I brought in Todd Huffman to do some preliminary testing of a simple ITS design, and I wrote about this in Alcor News. After Huffman left, I don't think anything more was done or said on this topic." It is BEYOND absurd for Mr. Platt to think having the Alcor staff assume the task of engineering a cryogenic freezer is a good idea, and cryonics DIY equipment projects probably do not qualify as real research, when it comes to "not-for-profit" status.

To the new Alcor CEO, Mr. More...do your best to determine if ITS is really the best way to go. If you believe it is, determine the required specifications, and then consult with several manufacturers of cryogenic freezers...unless, of course, you think amateur engineering projects constitute "research," and you won't mind sitting around, watching the same small group of DIY-ers bill Alcor and LEF for this project, for many years to come. If Alcor is going to charge $200,000 to preserve bodies, with the implied promise of a possible future resurrection, they should make an effort to provide qualified personnel using professionally-built equipment; not laymen using their own garage-project devices. Take all the money you save on these endless, (and mostly fruitless) projects, and spend it on REAL research, (carried out by scientists, not unqualified laymen, please).

From my 12/04/2010 post on lesswrong.com: “What happened when Larry Johnson brought up the issue of OSHA violations, at Alcor? Did his superiors ask him to remedy the situation, or did they ask him to shred documents and delete computer files, related to his complaints?”

Brian Wowk’s response, (which really wasn't a valid response, at all, if you ask me): “Johnson's claims are presently subject to an active defamation lawsuit. Numerous medical professionals have done work with Alcor at various times, including nurses, clinical perfusionists, a neurosurgeon, two doctors who served as CEOs, and two full-time paramedics hired after Johnson. None of them behaved as Johnson did.”

Personally, I am tired of people trying to pretend Alcor’s accusations of defamation prove Larry Johnson to be a liar, and I’m hoping the Alcor vs. Johnson et. al. civil suit makes it to a jury trial, so we can all know the truth about the many accusations between Alcor and Mr. Johnson, (in both directions).

What makes Dr. Wowk’s comments more than a little offensive, to me, is the fact that he knows Charles Platt’s voice, as well as I do, (probably better). Assuming Dr. Wowk listened to the audiotapes, previously published on frozenbook.com, Dr. Wowk and I both know Mr. Johnson has recordings of a conversation he had with Charles Platt, (COO of Alcor, at the time), and they seem to be discussing Mr. Platt’s instructions, to destroy the evidence of Mr. Johnson’s complaints about OSHA violations. As I recall, Mr. Platt expressed concern that someone from The National Enquirer might be hiding in the bushes, when they were pouring biohazardous materials down the sewer drain.

Dr. Wowk claims none of the medical professionals, who have been associated with Alcor, since that time, have “behaved as Johnson did.” As far as I know, there is only one paramedic on Alcor’s staff, and I think it’s safe to assume it is the rest of the Alcor staff, whose behaviors have changed, since Larry Johnson published evidence of some very questionable activities at their facility. For example, I kind of doubt they still go around, bragging about having been involved in an alleged illegal euthanasia.

I believe Dr. Wowk has heard the tapes, and I believe he knows certain stories, (whether true, or not), were told to Larry Johnson, by Alcor staff members. I would ask Dr. Wowk, the same question I have asked others, intent on discrediting Mr. Johnson: "If you want to call someone a liar, why don't you point your finger at the Alcor staff members, on those tapes?"

Again, I am hoping for a jury to iron this all out, in a New York court of law. It appears the judge has recently put the trial off, until December 2011, with 30 – 90 day deadlines on things like discovery requests and depositions.

(On a tangent...Was Dr. Wowk the "Brian," at the Ted Williams case? If I had witnessed that fiasco, I would have gone straight to the authorities. It was a mess...a mockery of both modern medicine AND science.)

Recently, on lesswrong.com, Brian Wowk stated Larry Johnson had been "shown to have falsified death threats," and to have "violated court orders in three states," (along with quite a few other statements I find "questionable," at best).

Five days ago, I challenged Dr. Wowk to prove those statements, which I have forwarded to Mr. Johnson and his attorneys. As of this date, I have not seen any response, from Dr. Wowk, to my challenge, posted December 7, 2010:

I would like to ask Dr. Wowk to show me where Larry Johnson "was shown to have falsified death threats," and where he "violated court orders in three states."

During this discussion, Dr. Wowk has identified himself as being on the Board of Directors of Alcor, so I assume he can be considered to be representing them, here. Alcor has accused Mr. Johnson of many wrong-doings, but I do not believe he has been "shown to have falsified death threats."

In addition, it's my understanding the agreement, in which Mr. Johnson was not supposed to publicly comment about Alcor, was supposed to work both ways. Is that correct, Dr. Wowk?

As for violating court orders, I believe the State of Arizona has ruled that Mr. Johnson violated a court order, but are the States of Nevada and New York like-minded?

A while back, I had to turn off the comments, on this blog, due to the malicious links being posted, in that section, on a regular basis. This morning, I received the following, from someone who had attempted to comment on this post: http://cryomedical.blogspot.com/2010/11/cryonics-well-oiled-propaganda-machine.html (I am temporarily omitting the name of the author, while awaiting his permission to include it.)

"Bravo for this post. It is good to see people taking on the cryonics industry--and indeed is is an industry like any other--and shining light on it.

There is a deluded notion by those who are so fearful of dying and so desperate for any alternative, that organizations like Alcor are altruistic and can be trusted to do the right thing without supervision. In truth, much of this is the modern version of snake oil.

And what most people don't realize is that people like Brian Wowk have major financial stakes in ensuring cryonics and cryonic-related organizations remain untarnished. They are paid through grant money, donations, etc from foundations or the public.

Even though Suspended Animation does not directly impact Wowk or Steve Harris (of Alcor), if the field of cryonics is shown to be full of con-men and incompetents, then their own funding (and paychecks) are likely to be cut. They have got a very, very large financial stake in all of this.

It is similar to Big Tobacco--none of the major tobacco firms wanted any of their competitors to get nabbed or regulated for their abuses of the public trust or deception/manipulation of the science, because if one tobacco company fell, they would all fall. That's why you see the Brian Wowks of the world coming to the aid of Suspended Animation. They're covering their own asses. Just like Big Tobacco has always banded together against outsiders, even though the individual companies of the industry are direct competitors.

It is time these organizations come under strict legal jurisdiction and regulation. They must be accountable. There must be public light on their activities. Complete transparency and accountability. If they are honest, there should be nothing for them to fear from this.

I hope your efforts prove fruitful. Don't give up. We need to bring some honesty to these industries and the individuals behind them."

(End quote.)
I think that was an excellent assessment of the situation, with the exception being that these companies have much closer ties than the tobacco companies. Suspended Animation, Critical Care Research (Harris et. al.) and 21st Century Medicine (Wowk et. al.) are not competitors. I believe most, (if not all), of SA, CCR and 21CM's funding comes from Saul Kent/LEF. (Saul Kent is identified as the "owner" of 21CM on Alcor's 2008 form 990.)

Dr. Wowk and I are having a debate, on lesswrong.com, and I'm not liking his tactics. I'm not sure if Dr. Wowk is attempting to mislead people, or if he has been mislead, himself, but some of his remarks are way off the mark.

32-1455. Violation; classification

A. The following acts are class 5 felonies:

1. The practice of medicine by a person not licensed or exempt from licensure pursuant to this chapter.

2. Securing a license to practice medicine pursuant to this chapter by fraud or deceit.

3. Impersonating a member of the board in issuing a license to practice medicine to another.

B. The following acts if committed by a person not licensed under this chapter or exempt from licensure pursuant to section 32-1421 are class 2 misdemeanors:

1. The use of the designation "M.D." in a way that would lead the public to believe that a person was licensed to practice medicine in this state.

2. The use of the designation "doctor of medicine", "physician", "surgeon", "physician and surgeon" or any combination thereof unless such designation additionally contains the description of another branch of the healing arts.

3. The use of the designation "doctor" by a member of another branch of healing arts unless there is set forth with each such designation the other branch of the healing arts concerned.

4. The use of any other words, initials, symbols or combination thereof which would lead the public to believe such person is licensed to practice medicine in this state.

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/32/01455.htm&Title=32&DocType=ARS

(Emphasis added.)