The book had a ten paged chapter including extensive medical records from Henrietta that the Lacks family had never seen or given permission to publish. The question arises was this situation and invasion of privacy as Henrietta’s medical records were released to the public, and does it make a difference that she has been dead for over thirty years? Because Henrietta’s case took place in the 1950’s, there were no laws to restrict publishers from using medical information that was given to them from a source (Skloot, 211). Gold claimed that Howard had given him the details but he was not entirely sure, he just knows that he talked to hima good amount. The disclosure of medical records by the reporter was questionable as it was common for the reporter to contact the family and ask questions, verify all of the facts, and inform them of the info that is going to be published. Yet more than just contacting the family, the Hipporatic Oath had been in circulation centuries and included patient confidentiality and stated that a physicain must promise confidentiality to the patient. Despite this all, the Hippocratic Oath was not a law, and merely a guideline. On the contrary, it can be said that this can all be disregarded because once a patient is dead, they have no right to privacy. This is displayed in the line “And the dead have no right to privacy-even if part of them is still alive” (Skloot, 211). Henrietta had been dead and gone for over thirty years, she did not have the right to privacy, therefore making this book completely just. Members disagree with this however saying that even if it is not a law to have privacy once the patient is dead, the family should be informed and asked if the information is ok to be published.
The book had a ten paged chapter including extensive medical records from Henrietta that the Lacks family had never seen or given permission to publish. The question arises was this situation and invasion of privacy as Henrietta’s medical records were released to the public, and does it make a difference that she has been dead for over thirty years? Because Henrietta’s case took place in the 1950’s, there were no laws to restrict publishers from using medical information that was given to them from a source (Skloot, 211). Gold claimed that Howard had given him the details but he was not entirely sure, he just knows that he talked to hima good amount. The disclosure of medical records by the reporter was questionable as it was common for the reporter to contact the family and ask questions, verify all of the facts, and inform them of the info that is going to be published. Yet more than just contacting the family, the Hipporatic Oath had been in circulation centuries and included patient confidentiality and stated that a physicain must promise confidentiality to the patient. Despite this all, the Hippocratic Oath was not a law, and merely a guideline. On the contrary, it can be said that this can all be disregarded because once a patient is dead, they have no right to privacy. This is displayed in the line “And the dead have no right to privacy-even if part of them is still alive” (Skloot, 211). Henrietta had been dead and gone for over thirty years, she did not have the right to privacy, therefore making this book completely just. Members disagree with this however saying that even if it is not a law to have privacy once the patient is dead, the family should be informed and asked if the information is ok to be published.