Henrietta Lacks # 3 – Conclusion
The book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot, consists of a narration of the legacy of Henrietta lacks, an African American woman who was diagnosed with an unusual strain of cervical in 1951 at John Hopkins Hospital. This cancer became too aggressive to be controlled and led to Henrietta’s death, who left behind a family of five kids and her husband. However, during the course of the treatment, some of her cells were harvested and issues to researchers to conduct studies on the cells. Henrietta’s cells were labeled HeLa, and even after an array of researches, scientists were unable to grow these human cells outside the body. These cells have been given freely to every researcher who requested for them, and they have been used in laboratories globally to conduct a wide variety of biomedical research.
A few ethical issues are arising from Rebecca Skoot’s narration of Henrietta Lack’s legacy. She did not seek consent from Henrietta’s family to record and publish her journal. This can be viewed as a breach of ethical principles as the family has a right to confidentiality and privacy pertaining to their deceased family member. To make matters worse, the doctors did not seek Henrietta’s consent or her family’s when obtaining the HeLa cells. Another ethical issue that can be depicted is the lack of acknowledgment or financial compensation offered to Henrietta’s family. It is reported that they live in average conditions despite their grandmother’s legacy and the publishing of famous journals such as The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. However, one ethical appraisal is that Rebecca Skoot has given the impact of HeLa cells enough credit for its impacts in the medical field. The book states that research on the HeLa cells has helped test toxins, drugs, hormones, and viruses. This has led to the development of many vaccines, including the polio vaccine.
I enjoyed reading this book as it is a well-written and captivating story that gives an insight into the scientific history of cancerous cells in the past decade. The book has also helped me understand the importance of the HeLa cells and their contribution to various medical breakthroughs and scientific research.