Rebecca Skloot

Henrietta Lacks (1920-1951), an unwitting source of first known human immortal cell line or HeLa cell line, and served a vital role in development of the polio vaccine, uncovered secrets of cancers, viruses, in vitro fertilization, and more. She being a poor and African-American had limited opportunities for her cancerous tumor treatment. Yet, the cells that were taken without her consent are still alive today in many biological companies throughout the world and contributed for all types of…

Ethical Mistakes Involving Henrietta Lacks Henrietta Lacks will continuously be used to further medical research. When she died in 1951, her cells were isolated creating a cell line called HeLa cells. After Lacks’ death, her cells were cloned and studied without her consent. The cells obtained from her were special because they were unusually strong cancer cells which could grow rapidly and indefinitely in the right medium (“Quick Guide to HeLa Cells,” n.d.). HeLa cells are not bound by the…

In my opinion, the results of research (the cells, the cell lines) belong to the Lack family though the cells were used to develop disease prevention vaccine for polio, Parkinson's Leukemia, and the flu (Grady, 2010). The doctors did not protect Henrietta's privacy. A sample of her cells were given to Dr. George Gey, the researcher without permission. Her family members had no idea that her information was released to a third party. There was no informed consent given by the patient or family,…

A person’s perspective is a key factor in their personality. If a politician has an early 1900’s racist mindset then the public knows they’ll attempt to limit the right of non-whites. If a male employer has a deeply rooted sexist mindset than it can be inferred that he would never employ women. These are all simple decisions that if implemented could have long lasting effects on a community, but what if someone’s perspective leads to a decision whose repercussions will literally last for an…

hundred years “they were obtained without permission or consent in a fashion that was ethically questionable” (Skloot 4). The women who made all these scientific discoveries possible has been left unnamed in most studies and teachings. “HeLa cells were omnipresent. [we hear] about them in histology, neurology, pathology; [use] them in experiments, but… no one mentioned Henrietta.” (Skloot 5). Basic human rights and ethical issues related to the practice of medicine and the patience’s right to be…

Tamoxifen History: In 1966, the Imperial Chemical Industries Pharmaceuticals (ICI) assigned scientists to find a new emergency contraceptive. The drug they created was called ICI46, 474 and was not effective in its early stages. Despite this letdown, the ability was seen, by a member from the team of scientists, that it could be used to treat Breast Cancer. In the period up to clinical trial testing in 1970, ICI46, 474 was renamed Tamoxifen. The Christie Hospital in Manchester was the location…

Mohini Vadalia The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Henrietta Lacks, the wife and cousin of David Lacks, and a mother of 5, Lawrence, Elsie, David Jr.(Sonny), Deborah, and Joe. She was a poor, black woman who died of cervical cancer in 1951. The hospital where she was receiving her treatments, her doctor had withdrawn samples of her cancer cells without her knowledge and permission. These cells began reproducing endlessly. Even after Henrietta had died, her cells were still alive. They…

Pleasant and Johnny Pleasant (Skloot 18). 1924 October 28 Eliza dies and in doing so leaves her ten children with their father. Johnny splits his children up among relatives and Henrietta goes to live with her maternal grandfather, Tommy Lacks (Skloot 18, 121). 1934 Lawrence Lacks is born to Henrietta Lacks and David Lacks (Skloot 23). 1938 Elsie Lacks is born to Henrietta Lacks and David Lacks (Skloot 23). 1941 April 10 Henrietta and David are married (Skloot 24). 1942 Henrietta and…

Henrietta Lacks was born 97 years ago on August 1, 1920 in Virginia. She was born into a very poor household and with 8 siblings. Henrietta’s mother, Eliza Pleasant, died when Henrietta was only 4 years of age during childbirth. After her mother’s unexpected death, her father moved the children to Clover, VA. Henrietta worked on her grandfather’s tobacco farm growing up. Henrietta at the age of 14 had her first child with her cousin, David. She later married David when she was 20 years old. The…

Henrietta Lacks at the age of 31 died of cervical cancer; however, scientists across the world were using her tissue for medical advancement sixty-two years later. The problem is neither Henrietta Lacks or the family after she passed gave consent to these studies that occurred for years. The HeLa genome provided many discoveries in the fields of cancer, vaccines, viruses, and cells in general. Henrietta Lacks and her family did not have the rights to potential earnings from these discoveries…