Hela Cells Research Paper

1. HeLa cells are a type of immortal cell derived from the cervical cancer of Henrietta Lacks. These were the first type of human cell that were found to not die in a lab culture and have been used in creating many different vaccines. Theses cell are still used all around the world in the development of vaccines and in other type of research such such as HIV and AIDS. HeLa cells also have become surround by controversy for the fact that they were first taken from Lacks and used in lab experiments without her consent before she had died. With her cells being used without her or her families consent this has helped to implement consent laws surrounding what is aloud to be done with a patients cells when they are taken to be tested. As such if another immortal cell line were to be found the scientific community couldn't use them without the consent of whom those cells were from. …show more content…
This in turn was giving and in site into the families medical history as well as showing what types of diseases that her relatives would be more likely to develop, and it was available to the public. The family was displeased by this and took it up with the National Institution of Health, and this lead to a board being formed that had at least two members of the Lacks family on it at all times that would have the final say on what research could be preformed on HeLa cells. This has all lead to the evolution of consent laws in such a manner that the person giving there consent must know all the things that go into the procedure or treatment that they will be part of as well as the alternatives and risks. Also the person must voluntarily give there consent for anything to be valid. This means that the person signing away consent can't be under the influence of drugs or alcohol in the same manner as sexual