Book Review the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lack Essay Example

lab, Gey started sharing them with other scientists. In Chapter 8, the mistreatment of black people is further illustrated. Despite Henrietta's complaints about persistent pain, her doctor dismissed her concerns and claimed there was no problem. Skloot mentioned that during this period, doctors often practiced "benevolent deception" by withholding crucial information from patients and even neglecting to provide a diagnosis (Skloot 63). The creation of the polio vaccine was one of the major contributions made possible by the HeLa cells.

In 1951, a polio epidemic occurred and Jonas Salk announced the development of the first-ever vaccine. To test its effectiveness on a large scale, he needed to use Henrietta's cells. These cells were crucial in proving that the Salk vaccine worked. Unfortunately, during this time, the Lacks family was unaware that her cells were being sold for profit without their knowledge or compensation. Despite their vulnerability to infections, HeLa cells became vital for studying bacteria, hormones, proteins, and viruses in culture. The family remained unaware of how well HeLa cells thrived.
Chapter 17 of the book describes an unethical act where people with cancer were injected with HeLa cells to observe tumor growth. Chester Southam orchestrated this experiment and later expanded it to include healthy individuals and prisoners under the pretense of testing them for cancer.

At the end of the research, three Jewish doctors, who were aware of the Nuremberg Trials, opted not to proceed with experiments on patients without their consent. Instead, they publicly disclosed this information. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), because of their actions, any research proposal involving human subjects had to be reviewed and approved by

a board. These boards consisted of individuals from diverse races, classes, and backgrounds and were responsible for ensuring that the research met the NIH's standards. This included acquiring thorough informed consent (Skloot 135).

Throughout the book, it is evident that Henrietta's remaining family is facing numerous challenges such as drug addiction, abuse, poor health, and poverty. They had little knowledge about what her cells were accomplishing in the world: "I know they did something important, but nobody tells us nothing" (Skloot 162). This quote summarizes their limited understanding regarding Henrietta's cells. The family was subjected to various falsehoods, including claims that the cells were simply given away or that Henrietta had willingly donated them. Consequently, they had difficulty trusting anyone who inquired about Henrietta. In 1969, a researcher from Hopkins utilized blood samples from over 7,000 children in the neighborhood, predominantly from impoverished black families, to explore a potential genetic predisposition to criminal behavior (Skloot 167). These actions by Hopkins did not enhance their reputation as an institution and did not give the Lacks family confidence that Henrietta received the care she deserved. Furthermore, Hopkins conducted experiments on children. It was only after George Gey's death from pancreatic cancer in 1970 that Henrietta's true identity was revealed.

A group of colleagues from Hopkins, as a tribute to Gey's career, decided to write an article regarding the history of the HeLa cell line. They made the discovery that Henrietta had been misdiagnosed with her form of cancer. In chapter 23, investigators aimed to collect blood samples from the remaining members of Henrietta's family, but they struggled to comprehend the information provided to them. They

mistakenly believed they were being tested for cancer like Henrietta, but that wasn't the case. The lack of detailed explanations suggested a lack of effort in clarifying matters (Skloot 183). In March 1976, the Rolling Stones published an article, marking the first time Henrietta's story was shared with the public, revealing her true identity as a black woman. Similarly, in chapter 25, John Moore also had his cells taken without consent. Similar to many other black individuals, he was too fearful to question or confront the doctor. The fear of being abandoned and facing potential death lingered (Skloot 200).

The text highlights the act of refusing consent and the deception that doctors were practicing even years later. Moore questioned the doctor about the financial gain from his actions, to which the doctor admitted there was none. Moore then sent the necessary documents to a lawyer, who later discovered that Golde had spent a significant amount of time developing and promoting a cell line known as Mo. Despite the deceit, there were advancements in combating diseases such as AIDS, HIV, and HEPB. Chapter 26 specifically addresses privacy breaches.

Deborah acquired a book titled A Conspiracy of Cells: One Woman’s Immortal Legacy and the Medical Scandal It Caused, which contained a distressing passage revealing Henrietta's medical data and records. This deeply affected Deborah, as it showcased yet another instance of confidentiality, respect, and ethics being disregarded. Later on, the BBC produced a documentary about Henrietta. On October 11, 1996, Roland Pattillo organized the inaugural HeLa Cancer Control Symposium at Morehouse School of Medicine and urged the city of Atlanta to declare October 11 as

Henrietta Lacks Day. When Deborah learned about these plans and the official recognition of Henrietta Lacks Day, she felt overjoyed — finally, a scientist was giving her mother the honor she deserved" (Skloot 219). Throughout numerous chapters, Rebecca cultivates her relationship with Deborah in an effort to win her trust. Rebecca promises Deborah that if her book gets published, she will establish a scholarship fund for descendants of Henrietta. Additionally, Deborah develops an inclination towards learning more about her mother and even learns how to use a computer.

In chapter 32, Deborah, Zakariyya, and Rebecca visited Hopkins to witness Henrietta's cells. Deborah was fascinated as she observed one of her mother's cells dividing, just like they had when Henrietta was an embryo. In the following chapters, both Deborah and Rebecca continued to learn about Henrietta. Eventually, Deborah seemed to find inner peace and expressed the desire to come back as HeLa cells like her mother, so they could make a positive impact together in the world.