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Essay On Henrietta Lacks

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On October 4, 1951, Henrietta Lacks died of aggressive cervical cancer at only 31 years old. What she did not know at the time of her death, however, is that Dr. George Otto Gey would discover that cells taken from her body continued to replicate without dying. These cells are used in research for many diseases, as well as being sent into space. This first immortal cell line has impacted history greatly, consequently changing the course of the medical field entirely. Henrietta Lacks is the most significant person in history as her cells have contributed to important research, launched a multibillion dollar industry, and her situation has shed light on certain issues in the medical field. Primarily, the cells remain acknowledged predominantly for their use in medical research. …show more content…

For example, her cells, taken for use in a lab test, kept multiplying, resulting in their use for research conducted without her consent. Thereupon, the market began. An insufficient amount of the researchers conducting experiments with the cells knew her name, it took 20 years for its publication. The family was not informed about her cells prior to this time. For a lengthy period, they had not had a say in what happened to her cells. At one point, a German science group had electronically published Henrietta’s entire genomic sequence. This greatly upset her family as it showed the whole world their own potential medical risks as well as her entire DNA code, which is something they would rather remain private. Instances like these have also shed light on the fact that it is completely legal for doctors to use a person’s cells to create a new cell line or use them in research. In fact, people have no property rights over samples taken from their bodies. Henrietta’s case has raised much needed awareness that there are problems in the medical field surrounding privacy and

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With access, they wanted to test genetics of Henrietta’s children for the same cancer she had died from. But because McCusick isn’t a cancer researcher, Dr. Susab HSU asked Day if they could draw blood. All they wanted was a few tubes of blood and to do a genetic

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This was good for the world, thanks to Lacks cells, specialists can use these cells to help find cures for deadly diseases like

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When removed during her biopsy and then cultured without her permission, her cells began to reproduce rapidly and require more and more culture medium to consume as they grew. They thrived in the lab and they were the first human cells ever in history to do so. Meanwhile, Henrietta, 31, African-American, and a mother of five, continued enduring painful and damaging radiation treatment in the hospital’s “colored only” ward. After Henrietta’s death, her cells, named HeLa after the first two letters of both her names, went on to become a celebrity of virology, benefiting more people than will ever be truly realized. Scientists have grown about 50 million metric tons of her cells, helped sustain and build thousands of careers, and tens of thousands of scientific

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Without these cells we would not have been able to successfully or humanly learn many of the things that we know now. These cells helped teach us about diseases, how to cure/treat them, and humans as a whole. These cells provided the human genetic material we needed in order to make discoveries without harming or testing on people. Although the way these cells were cultured in the beginning was very inhumane they stopped many more dangerous or inhumane acts from being committed in the name of research. HeLa cells were the base of many discoveries that shaped our modern science and

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Having the opportunity to discuss the impact of medical research performed on Henrietta Lacks’ cells with doctor George Guy would be an experience like no other. Through the use of Henrietta Lacks’s cells, George Guy created an industry that would fuel research throughout the scientific community. When Henrietta Lacks was admitted to the hospital for radiation treatments, doctors took samples of her cervical cancer cells. Henrietta was not informed that one of the two samples was sent to George Guy, a scientist researching the immortalization of human cells. Guy soon realized that these cells were able to grow outside of the human body, they even grew rapidly.

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What are the specific issues raised in the book—legally and ethically? Think about the 1980s John Moore case: the appeal court decision and its reversal by the California Supreme Court.   Issues that raised in the book are race issues, the legality of taking adventage of patients who’s family aren’t able to fight for the rights and benefit of their cells. According to California supreme court, Under the duty to obtain informed consent, “a doctor must disclose his intent in using a patient for research and economic gain.” 6.

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TIC673 HeLa Assignment 2018 In one of the best seller novel, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” the author Rebecca Skloot describes about the first human immortal cells that lived in laboratory culture and about the story of black, 31-year-old woman from whom these cells were obtained. The cells which not only proved to be most important in the field of medicine but also brought medical revolution were obtained from her without her or her family’s knowledge leading to the most debatable ethical issues. The following essay would describe the cell’s contribution to science, how they were obtained and some of the ethical issues violated. Henrietta’s cells did much good for the society.

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Devon Moore Professor Dunbar English 111 19 September 2017 Title Cells that are known as HeLa are a line of immortal human cells that were developed from an African American woman in the 1950’s. They continue to be very well-known to the world of science today as they are still used. The HeLa cells are known for contributing to a lot of medical advancements. Scientists have now converted these cells into drugs to help create many different treatments for various cancers and diseases.

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Henrietta Lacks was an African American woman from the 1900s. She was diagnosed with cancer and had her cancer cells cultured without her consent. These cancer cell lines are known as HeLa cell lines and one of the first immortalized cell lines utilized in current medical research. The fundamental issue with Henrietta Lacks’ HeLa cells is that the researchers never obtained consent for the use of these cells; nevertheless, these cells have benefitted greatly for the area of research. Not only were the cells useful for finding treatments for diseases, but the cells were also utilized in space studies too.

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1437 Words | 6 Pages

However; the family very strongly disapproves of their research ethics. The book discusses Henrietta’s contribution to science and of the ups and downs of research with HeLa. Scientists around the world used and are still using the cell line today and while they were essential to many experiments they also contaminated other projects. The book also shows the struggle of Henrietta’s family before her death and after her death. Henrietta’s

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And although, these privacy protections did not cover genetic information, 12 years later congress passed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) to fill the gap. (Stump) The National Institute of Health’s (NIH) now requires strict ethical standards including informed consent from all researchers seeking funding. These are steps in the right direction but just like anyone working in the medical field would tell you, there is still more to be done to ensure complete patient privacy and informed consent is the norm in every branch within the medical community. Whereas it took many years for the medical community to acknowledge the violations and origin of Henrietta’s cells it reassuring to see the progress that has been made to stamp out bad ethical behaviors.

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Before I start my discussion, I would like to thank Henrietta Lacks for her cells even though they were taken without her consent and also thank the Lacks’ family for their patience in dealing with this issue of not being told about the use of the Henrietta’s cells. Neither Henrietta nor her family got recognition for them. This story tells us how far we have come in this day and age in terms of privacy information and what people can and cannot do because of HIPPA. It was common practice to use people’s information and cells without their consent.

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663 Words | 3 Pages

Despite the wrongdoings Henrietta Lacks was put through her cells did a lot to help advance science. Her cells helped develop different types of vaccines, which such as her daughter faced. A lot of good and bad came out of Henrietta’s

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The origination of HeLa cells, used in biomedical research for a potential cure for cancer, had made many ground breaking discoveries in science; all thanks to one woman, Mrs. Henrietta Lacks. The history of Mrs. Lacks’s contribution to these studies raised many ethical issues concerning healthcare practice. In the short film, The Way of All Flesh, we learn how these cells were revealed by direct violation of ethical principles. During the 1950s, matters regarding informed consent practices were in their beginning stages of implementation.

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919 Words | 4 Pages

Scientists and doctors made great discoveries with the HeLa cells of Henrietta Lacks. The family of Henrietta Lacks had to live with the aftermath of decisions made by doctors and

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