EMERGENCY TREATMENT FOR DECEASED PERSONS:

1.  If the deceased person in question has already been buried, the person cannot be accepted as a patient.  Options such as chemical preservation and permafrost burial are not available through the American Cryonics Society. 

2.  If you or the individual wishing to suspend the deceased person HAS NO LEGAL AUTHORITY over the body of the deceased, then the American Cryonics Society cannot accept that person as a patient.

3.  If that authority will be DISPUTED by members of the deceased’s family who have greater legal authority, or legal guardians of the deceased who have greater legal authority, the American Cryonics Society cannot accept that person as a patient. 

In your discussion with other family members, it is important for them to know that the deceased person will become an anatomical gift to the American Cryonics Society for purposes of cryonic suspension. 

Under some circumstances, family members may maintain limited custodial care (which is not possible with some other cryonics companies; see discussion under "Who is in Charge of the Patient.").

4.  If the person wishing to suspend the deceased cannot pay the American Cryonics Society’s membership and suspension fees IN FULL before the suspension process begins, by cash, check, or money order or some sort of guaranteed, non-refundable payment, the American Cryonics Society cannot accept that person as a patient. 

However, in some cases, it may be possible to arrange to have the deceased person temporarily kept in dry-ice while financial arrangements are completed. 

5.  The American Cryonics Society makes use of contract long-term suspension storage facilities, which sometimes have a set of criteria for accepting patients that differs, somewhat, from that of the American Cryonics Society. 

When the American Cryonics Society accepts a patient who was not previously an American Cryonics Society member, we must also confirm with any contract service providers that the acceptance criteria for the service provider has also been met.

Here are some cases where the American Cryonics Society will consider accepting a deceased person who is not a member:

* If the deceased person has NOT BEEN BURIED,

* If the deceased person HAS BEEN COOLED in some manner within a reasonable time of his or her death,

* If the person requesting the suspension HAS FULL AND UNDISPUTED LEGAL AUTHORITY over the body of the deceased,

* If the person making the request HAS SUFFICIENT FUNDS to pay the membership and suspension fees IN FULL.

* If the person making arrangements understands the limitations of the cryonic suspension procedure and goals.

* If the deceased person was not opposed to having his or her body placed into cryonic suspension.

* If the ACS long-term cold storage company also agrees to accept the patient.

In these cases, THE AMERICAN CRYONICS SOCIETY -- AT ITS SOLE DISCRETION -- MAY ACCEPT that person as a patient.

If your situation and the situation of the person you are considering contacting us about fits these conditions, then you must read and sign The American Cryonic Society's Policy Statement about the American Cryonics Society accepting deceased patients under last-minute emergency conditions.  

If you fully understand the terms set forth there, and you agree to them, or you wish further explanation, please contact the American Cryonics Society at 1-800-523-2001 or 408-446-9001, and then PRINT AND SIGN the The American Cryonic Society's Policy Statement from our site, and FAX IT to the American Cryonics Society at (801)720-9001.

Click Here to read the statement.