Henrietta Lacks John Moore was a leukemia patient that died at the age of 56 years old. He had his spleen removed because with the infection the doctor was worried that it was going to explode. Once his spleen was removed the tissue was then used in research by Dr. David Golde a researcher for UCLA (John Moors, 56; Sued to Share Profits from His Cells). John was never told about the research being done on his tissues, he was just asked by Dr. Golde to return to the UCLA medical center for follow up checkups, where doctors would take blood every time and still never mentioned anything about research to John. John was asked to sign a consent form, to allow Dr. Golde to patent his research on John’s tissues, and this is when John finally got …show more content…
In 1951 Henrietta went to John Hopkins hospital to help her overcome the cancer with radiation treatments. While she was going in for treatments and checkups her doctor took some tissue from her tumor in her cervix and sent it to lab to be research, none of this she told Henrietta that he was doing. In lab Henrietta’s cell grew in culture and actually stayed alive, unlike any other cells they tried to culture. This cells were called “Immortal” because they grew so fast and to such a huge amount that they could separate them and send them to all different doctors for their own research. They were eventually named HeLa cells, from the first two letters of Henrietta and the first two letter of Lacks (History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places/ Smithsonian). HeLa cells were used in all kinds of research and cure many diseases. They were used in the first mission to space to see what would happen to cells in zero gravity, they were a very important part to finding the polio vaccine, they were used in cloning, gene mapping and also in vitro fertilization (History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places/ Smithsonian). Henrietta never had claim to her cell and what they did until 20 years after she died and finally, even after efforts to keep it hiding, in 1970s her real name started to leak out into the
Ethical Issues. When it comes to weighing the benefits of using HeLa cells to the ethical issues derived from the procurment of them, it's for me pretty black and white. Yes, her cells have done great things in the last six decades and will no doubt continue to do so for decades to come. However, the blatant disregard for her permission and later, her familys knowledge cannot go ignored. Johns Hopkins has made a valiant effort in trying to make this error in judgement right since the family became aware, but it begs to question, if not for the scientist who contacted the family inquiring about blood samples, would they have ever found out?
On Henrietta’s deathbed Gey tells her that her cells will make her immortal. The tuskegee institute began giving cells for polio research but soon after began sending cells to any scientist who wanted them The hela cells were used to create many scientific breakthroughs and understanding of cells such as the use of freezing cells for delivery and the standardization of cell culturing Skloot and Deborah 1990 1999 Skloot reaches out to Roland Pattillo after coming across a collection of scientific papers compiled by Pattillo about Henrietta, after she decides she wants to write about
With Henrietta the doctors took a sample from her tumor and started experimenting with it. After all the experiments they did, the cells turn out to be the first cell line that did not died within days. One thing doctors fail to tell Henrietta was
Born in Roanoke, Virginia on August 1, 1920, Henrietta Lacks would one day unknowingly be the reason for one of the most important cell lines in medical research. Henrietta Lacks became the source of HeLa cells after her death on October 4, 1951 (aged 31), cells which were the first immortalized cell line in history; immortalized cells are cells that will reproduce indefinitely under specific conditions. While Henrietta’s cells were and continue to be used to treat many illnesses, there was never any consent given from Henrietta herself, or any of her family. To this day, no portion of the billions of dollars made from HeLa cells ever found it’s way to Henrietta’s family. The medical ethics in the 1950’s are very questionable in comparison
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a book that includes her biography, then her childhood to her tragic death; the story of her family over various decades; Skloot’s research and her relationship with the Lacks family, especially Deborah; and the story of the HeLa cells. Henrietta Lacks was known by scientists as HeLa was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells were taken without her knowledge in 1951, and then became one of the most important tools in medicine. They were necessary for the development of the polio vaccine, cloning, and much more scientific developments. A doctor at Johns Hopkins took a piece of her tumor without her consent and then sent it down to scientists who been trying to grow tissues in culture for decades. Henrietta's
One of the ironies explored in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is the dichotomy between the vast value of the HeLa cell line—which has been used in the development of the polio vaccine, nuclear bomb testing, the
Lacks’ Cells Alive for Medical Industry Benefits The story of Henrietta Lacks in this reading is fascinating. By using Ms. Lacks’ cells, medical science has developed many cures. By one woman contributing her cells decades ago without her knowledge, on an involuntary basis, the impact has become mind-boggling. At the same time, it is disheartening and shaming to know that Henrietta’s family was unable to pay for medical attention for her.
After leaving the hospital, she went back to life as usual.” (Skloot 42) The issue of racial inequality in the medical field is further demonstrated by Henrietta’s cells being used to create a multi-billion dollar industry while her family never received any compensation. Even though HeLa cells were used in multiple scientific advancements, such as creating the polio vaccine, Henrietta’s family was still left in
The injustice of taking Henrietta’s cells and using them for research without her consent or of her family for that matter; until 20 years later is incomprehensible. Many believe that the history of medical ethics such as the Hippocratic Oath and complying the federal law in protecting human research and confidentiality wasn’t yet recognized. All the same, the Lacks’ family isn’t given credit or acknowledgement for what Henrietta, has contributed to science, known as the HeLa cell line. Henrietta’s
Young adults need to learn material like this in school so they can recognize the impact that a cell sample can have on the world and the impact that those cells will have on families. The next time something like the HeLa cell phenomenon occurs, maybe the family members in need will receive the financial compensation they deserve. To sum up, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks has the ability to make a massive impact on
George Gey felt that her cells were immune to these deadly diseases and this caused them to reproduce instead of dying off. Henrietta struggled most of her life with these diseases primarily because they were not vaccines at this time. In the article “ The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” Ahmad explains “ HeLa cells were vital for developing the pool vaccine and uncovering secrets of cancer.” If it were not for her cells, then we would not have nearly as many vaccines as we do
Deborah “Dale” Lacks is the fourth child of Henrietta and David “Day” Lacks (Skloot, 2010, p. 14). Deborah Lacks was able to acquire additional information about her mother with the support of the author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot, who reached out and identified her part of the legacy. Deborah became involved with the story of HeLa cells about twenty years later after her mother died for the reason that no one declared that parts of her were still active in existence. Though, she involuntarily became involved once her mother past away (Skloot, 2010). She agreed to meet Skloot on the ninth of July in 2000 to discuss Henrietta (Skloot, 2010, p. 233).
Bushra Pirzada Professor Swann Engh-302 October 4th 2015 Rhetorical Analysis: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks written by Rebecca Skloot tells the story of a woman named Henrietta Lacks who has her cervical cancer. It further goes to tell the audience how Henrietta altered medicine unknowingly. Henrietta Lacks was initially diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1951; however, the doctors at John Hopkins took sample tissues from her cervix without her permission. The sample tissues taken from Henrietta’s cervix were used to conduct scientific research as well as to develop vaccines in the suture.
In 1951, at the age of 31 Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Henrietta was under treatment at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where cells from her malignant tumor were removed. Neither Henrietta nor any of her family members knew about the tissue sample and nor did the Hopkins ever informed them of the situation. Unfortunately after Henrietta’s radiation treatment, her condition continued to worsen and soon she lost her battle to cancer on octomber 4th 1951. Henriettas cells left the Hopkins what they discovered to be known to be the first immortal human cell line.
Participation Portfolio 1 Asst 3: Henrietta Lacks Discussion Questions Please answers each of the following questions, and be prepared to discuss in class 1. Please outline the history of Henrietta Lacks 's tissue cells. Who did what with the cells, when, where and for what purpose? Who benefited, scientifically, medically, and monetarily?