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Henrietta Lacks Essay

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In 1951, Henrietta Lacks unknowingly made one of the largest scientific contributions to science in the past century. Doctors at John Hopkins Hospital took her cancer cells, which never died. Her line of cells became the most significant line of cells in history. In science today, they are known as HeLa cells. Those tiny cancer cells made a tremendous impact. HeLa has aided in the development of the polio vaccine, helped to understand HIV, helped scientists find the link HPV link to cancer and were the first cells to be cloned, to name a few. HeLa cells helped contribute vast amount of knowledge to the scientific community, yet all the while her family had no clue that Henrietta Lack’s cancer cells were still alive. Her family couldn't afford …show more content…

After World War Two and the Nazi experiments on concentration camp prisoners, the Nuremberg code was developed for the use of humans in scientific research. The code centered on human consent and safety, with successful trials with animals prior to using humans. However, most doctors in the U.S felt the code didn't t apply to them, that they were above the international code. In Henrietta’s day, there weren’t laws that protected research participants. In her time, it wasn't mandatory for doctors to have patients sign consent forms. Patients could have been participating in scientific research without even knowing it! In 1979, The Belmont Report: Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research was published by the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research. The report was a series of laws and ethical issues for the use of humans in research. The report discusses how human research should have respect for persons involved. The test subjects should be treated as autonomous agents, and those who don't have that power (such as people with disabilities) are entitled to protection. Secondly, the report discuses that safety must be kept in mind. Scientific advancement cannot happen unless the experiments are safe. Thirdly, participants have to be chosen fairly, not from populations who could be coerced into participating, such as prisoners or institutionalized children. And, of course, consent is

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The HeLa cells not only survived, they grew intensely and kept right on growing as much as their given space would allow. It seemed like the cells would never stop growing, thus came the label of the immortal cells (Skloot, 2010). HeLa cells became a very important part of scientific research, and Henrietta’s name became well-known among Gey’s colleagues. On November 2, 1953, the real name behind the HeLa cells was leaked by the press, but they got it wrong, Henrietta Lakes was reported as the source of the cells in the Minneapolis Star. Gey and Dr. TeLinde, the cervical cancer specialist at John Hopkins, decided to allow their story about Henrietta to be told in a more accurate account, but they wanted to withhold her name.

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In "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot, the progression of the plot and its central conflicts can be thoroughly understood through the perspective of racism, which includes systemic injustice, medical abuse, cultural mistrust, and racial discrimination. Despite the widespread use of HeLa cells in research and the advancements in the field of medicine, there was no acknowledgment of Henrietta or her pivotal role in the public. The fact that Henrietta was not mentioned in the news and that Gey did not mention her name on TV further highlighted how her identity was erased from the story of HeLa, “Despite the spread of HeLa and the flurry of new research that followed, there were no news stories about the birth of the amazing

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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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As dark and horrid as the beginning of the HeLa research program was, there was a come to peace and rightfully settling of human advancement through Henrietta’s ultimate sacrifice of life. Through Henrietta’s pain, agony and de-humanization if it wasn’t for her unknown personal effort, much impact has been made on quality of human intuition towards certain toxins, viruses and other illnesses. The HeLa cells has established a line of defense towards protecting any further harmful testing to be conducted on other living creatures such as animals and humans. Unknown illnesses and viruses can be tested against the HeLa cells to exemplify how a human body cell may take effect against harmful illnesses and viruses. Ultimately for the greater good, Henrietta’s family over the years could come to the consensus of peace and acceptance through her impact on scientific research.

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HeLa cells were a big impact on scientific research and currently still are, the use of HeLa cells should be promoted because of the good they have done. Henrietta Lacks was an African American southerner, she went about her daily life just like any other woman would but one day she began feeling pain in her lower stomach and could not bare it. After making a trip to the doctors she was diagnosed with cervical cancer, her cancer was treated multiple times with radiation but would not stop worsening. Eventually, the doctors gave Henrietta a “consent” form and then let her pass. Years on Henrietta’s daughter decided that the consent form she signed was not right because her mother did not actually know what was happening and the doctors sold

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Henrietta was admitted to the Johns Hopkins Hospital to treat her cervical cancer, where she eventually passed away. George Gey, who was the cell biologist at Johns Hopkins Hospital, then harvested the cells from her tumor. With the help of his wife, Margret, and assistant, Mary, they successfully turned Henrietta’s contribution into HeLa cells. HeLa cells are an essential universal tool that can be used for medical research and advancement. Since the HeLa cells grew at a rapid rate, they were produced and sold rapidly for widespread research.

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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.

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At the first glance, I was really interested about what made this nonfiction scientific book one of the most famous books in cancer categories. After I finished reading the first part of the book, which is called life, I knew that the main character in this book, Henrietta Lacks is the well-known named person in the biological science world, HeLa. As what I have learned in my undergraduate studies, HeLa cell is a type of immortal cell line which is the oldest and the most widely used cell lines in many biological research projects, especially in cancer research. Through what I have read so far, the most shocking part to me is the truth that the patient – Henrietta Lacks herself even did not know that her cells and the research conducted from

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Researchers believed that the person behind the cell line HeLa, was Helen Lane. After the death of George Gey, it was later discovered that the real name behind the cells was in fact Henrietta Lacks. As the discovery of the name Henrietta Lacks, researchers by the name of Susan Hsu and Victor McKsick began contacting the Lacks family under the misconception of they wanted to test them to be sure they did not have the cancer their mother had. Throughout the further research of Deborah, Henrietta’s daughter, they began requesting more blood for extended research that she was unaware of. They wanted more blood for a researcher in California who requisitioned samples of blood for his research on HeLa.

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They wanted her cells to conduct more research because it has the ability to grow up very quickly. Henrietta’s cells witch they call it HeLa cells have benefited the humankind. One example, by using her cells, the scientists could get rid of the Polio Virus, and they developed Polio’s vaccine. After 24 years, the Henrietta’s

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Young adults need to learn material like this in school so they can recognize the impact that a cell sample can have on the world and the impact that those cells will have on families. The next time something like the HeLa cell phenomenon occurs, maybe the family members in need will receive the financial compensation they deserve. To sum up, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks has the ability to make a massive impact on

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A large part of Major Problems in American History since 1945 involves the struggle for human rights, whether based on race, religion, creed, or sexual orientation. However, one group of human subjects, those participating in medical experimentation, was lacking any protection of basic human rights until gaining attention in the 1940’s. This struggle persisted well into the late 1970’s and is still an important area of debate today. A primary-source supplement should be added to Major Problems to discuss the battle for the protection of human subjects in medical experimentation. Although the topic lacked significant national coverage like other human rights movements, unethical practices in medical research affected many people and has been

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Without the subjects' knowledge or agreement, these tests were conducted with utter disregard for their welfare. The protection of human life and dignity cannot be compromised in the name of scientific progress. They serve as a sobering reminder of the value of sustaining moral standards in all scientific study and the ethical ramifications of these experiments, which are still being argued today. The legacy of the Nazi medical experiments serves as a sobering reminder of the atrocities that may be perpetrated in the name of a belief system and the repercussions of disrespecting human

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The principles of ethics extend to all spheres of human activity and apply to our interactions with humans and our greater environment. Research often generates ethical dilemmas, which in some instances may be neither right nor wrong. In these situations it is important that those involved in research and review have clear guidelines that can facilitate decision-making. Guidelines now exist which are founded on respect for human being; research merit and integrity; justice; and beneficence. These guidelines have evolved overtime in response to specific events in human research that have violated human rights.

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In research, humans serve as a source of information. It is the researcher’s obligation and responsibility to protect their rights. There are professional codes and policies that have been put into place to protect people’s health, dignity, privacy, integrity, autonomy, and confidentiality (Yip, Han, & Sng, 2016). One of these codes is known as The Nuremberg Code which calls for “voluntary consent”, a risk and benefits assessment, and assuring the use of competent researchers (Moreno, Schmidt, & Joffe, 2017).

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