Journal of Nursing Research Perspectives

Abstract

Human cryopreservation is an emerging practice involving the storage of bodies or body parts at ultra-low temperatures. This practice raises profound legal and conceptual questions about personhood, contractual identity, and medical categorization. A vital element is to understand the legal status of the cryopreserved individual, i.e., whether they are best understood as a patient or consumer. The question arises because, often, cryonics organisations refer to preserved individuals as “patients,” yet also use terms like “member” or “client,” reflecting a semantic ambiguity with significant legal implications. This paper argues that a critical distinction must be drawn between the person who signs the cryopreservation agreement and the individual under nitrogen. The former is engaged in a commercial transaction; therefore, he/she may be classified as a consumer under contract and consumer protection law. The latter seems to better fit into the patient category.