Bioethics:
Bioethics are defined as “Bioethics is the application of ethics to the field of medicine and healthcare.” (Practical Bioethics) Henrietta Lacks and the collection of her cells raise controversy when it comes to the subject of bioethics. Her immortal cells were collected without her knowledge or consent and cultured and sold for medical experimentation. These cells became profitable in the science industry because it had never seen anything like it. Vials of HeLa cells were bought and distributed to nearly every laboratory around the world, making profits from direct sale and medical discoveries. While scientists were collecting money and credibility, her family could not afford health care or even living expenses. Deborah Lacks, Henrietta’s daughter, said, ““But I always have thought it was strange, if our mother cells done so much for medicine, how come her family can't afford to see no doctors?”
In my opinion, the way Henrietta Lacks’ cells were obtained and used clearly violated, and continue to violate, the unstated laws of bioethics. They took her cells, without her consent, and continued to experiment on them, disregarding Henrietta and her family. John Hopkins Hospital, George Gey and many other scientists never attempted to inform the Lacks’ and the general public about the origin of HeLa cells, or give the Lacks’ monetary or medical compensation for their mother’s contributions to science. “We must not see any person as an abstraction. Instead, we must see in every person a universe with its own secrets, with its own treasures, with its own sources of anguish, and with some measure of triumph”- Ellie Wiesel, mentioned in the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.
Did the collection and distribution of HeLa cells violate the unwritten "code" of ethics"? Why or why not?
Medical Research:
Medical, or clinical, research can be defined as, “the scientific investigation of the etiology, prevention, diagnosis or treatment of human disease using human subjects, human populations or materials of human origin.” (DDCF) Many doctors and scientists conduct medical research. For example, the book states, “Like many doctors of this era, TeLinde often used patients from the public wards from research, usually without their knowledge. Henrietta was also used for medical research, both when she was alive and dead. This medical research began at John Hopkins Hospital where they gave her radiation treatments and obtained her malignant cells, and later continued after she died by conducting tests on her immortal cells. These tests included a number of things, such as, injecting her cells with diseases, such as aids, and sending her cells into space. These tests drastically improved medicine and medical practices, but could have been done in a better manner. One of the main issues with the tests ran on HeLa cells was the lack of monetary compensation for her family. The profit from this medical research should have rightfully gone to the doctors and scientists, but should have also helped the Lacks family, who could not afford health care. Deborah Lacks said, “We want science to keep going, and we want to help."
How do you think the Lacks family should have been compensated for the use of their ancestor's, Henrietta Lacks, cells?
Bioethics are defined as “Bioethics is the application of ethics to the field of medicine and healthcare.” (Practical Bioethics) Henrietta Lacks and the collection of her cells raise controversy when it comes to the subject of bioethics. Her immortal cells were collected without her knowledge or consent and cultured and sold for medical experimentation. These cells became profitable in the science industry because it had never seen anything like it. Vials of HeLa cells were bought and distributed to nearly every laboratory around the world, making profits from direct sale and medical discoveries. While scientists were collecting money and credibility, her family could not afford health care or even living expenses. Deborah Lacks, Henrietta’s daughter, said, ““But I always have thought it was strange, if our mother cells done so much for medicine, how come her family can't afford to see no doctors?”
In my opinion, the way Henrietta Lacks’ cells were obtained and used clearly violated, and continue to violate, the unstated laws of bioethics. They took her cells, without her consent, and continued to experiment on them, disregarding Henrietta and her family. John Hopkins Hospital, George Gey and many other scientists never attempted to inform the Lacks’ and the general public about the origin of HeLa cells, or give the Lacks’ monetary or medical compensation for their mother’s contributions to science. “We must not see any person as an abstraction. Instead, we must see in every person a universe with its own secrets, with its own treasures, with its own sources of anguish, and with some measure of triumph”- Ellie Wiesel, mentioned in the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.
Did the collection and distribution of HeLa cells violate the unwritten "code" of ethics"? Why or why not?
Medical Research:
Medical, or clinical, research can be defined as, “the scientific investigation of the etiology, prevention, diagnosis or treatment of human disease using human subjects, human populations or materials of human origin.” (DDCF) Many doctors and scientists conduct medical research. For example, the book states, “Like many doctors of this era, TeLinde often used patients from the public wards from research, usually without their knowledge. Henrietta was also used for medical research, both when she was alive and dead. This medical research began at John Hopkins Hospital where they gave her radiation treatments and obtained her malignant cells, and later continued after she died by conducting tests on her immortal cells. These tests included a number of things, such as, injecting her cells with diseases, such as aids, and sending her cells into space. These tests drastically improved medicine and medical practices, but could have been done in a better manner. One of the main issues with the tests ran on HeLa cells was the lack of monetary compensation for her family. The profit from this medical research should have rightfully gone to the doctors and scientists, but should have also helped the Lacks family, who could not afford health care. Deborah Lacks said, “We want science to keep going, and we want to help."
How do you think the Lacks family should have been compensated for the use of their ancestor's, Henrietta Lacks, cells?