Does Alcor take “DNA samples”?
by Charles Platt When we first heard this question we answered it by stating that “Alcor has never collected ‘DNA samples’ from its cryopatients. Obviously Alcor has no need to collect ‘DNA samples,’ since a neuropatient already contains billions of DNA molecules.” (Alcor News, issue 15, dated August 13th, 2003.) Apparently the people who asked the question were concerned that Alcor might take samples after legal death without a person’s consent, hoping to use the DNA in the future, perhaps for cloning, with a profit motive. We denied this because it is not what we do and we have no interest in doing that. Subsequently some people pointed out that Alcor has, in fact, obtained four other types of samples: • 1. Samples of blood during patient transport. • 2. Samples of liquid effluent from the patient’s circulatory system during cryoprotective perfusion. • 3. Samples of vitrified or frozen tissue after cryopreservation. • 4. Samples of DNA contributed voluntarily by living members. These
