Tissue In The 1950s To The 21st Century

381 Words2 Pages
When Henrietta’s case is revealed to people, their first response is usually: “Wasn’t it illegal for doctors to take Henrietta’s cells without her knowledge and consent? Don’t doctors have to tell you when they use your cells in research?” Well...no. At least, not in the 1950s to the early 21st century. People are often confused on how they should feel about this situation, which is understandable. Scientists aren’t after your legs and organs, they’re just using tissue scraps you parted with voluntarily. Still, the tissues are a part of you, and someone taking a part of you appears to violate ownership, which most people have a strong sense of when it comes to their bodies. However, just having a feeling of ownership doesn’t help you out