The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot Essay -- Medica

After her death in 1951, for six decades, Henrietta Lacks did not exist in the eyes of the society, precisely her cells did. How? Well, the assist is quite simple. HeLa Cells are the first immortal human cells. These cells never die and multiply every twenty-four hours. After spending 10 old age to perfect her first book, author of The Immortal career of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot essentially captured the life, the death, and aftermath of Henrietta Lacks life. With controversial issues regarding science, ethics, race, and class Skloot takes us on an extraordinary journey. From the colored ward of Johns Hopkins infirmary in the 1950s to stark white laboratories with freezers full of HeLa cells, from Henriettas small, dying hometown of Clover, Virginia to East Baltimore, where her children and grandchildren live and struggle with the legacy of her cells, Skloot remarkably shows the story of the Lacks family is inextricably committed to the dark history of experimentation on Af rican Americans along with the issue of bioethics, and legal battles over whether we control the stuff we are made of. The most thought-provoking aspect of this story is how is it that HeLa cells were used to develop the polio vaccine, uncover secrets of cancer, viruses, and the effects of the atomic bomb, and help lead to important advancements for vitro fertilization, cloning, and genes mapping, yet, her five children are not level covered by medical insurance. Cant the family sue for a profit? This question has been asked multiple times and in various forms, but the answer remains controversial. As Skloot addresses in her book, many lawyers point out that the family cannot sue over the cells being takenbut they could attempt to stop HeLa research through a law... ... May 2010.Moreno, Jonathan D. Lessons Learned A Half-Century of Experimenting on Humans. The Humanist Sept. 1999 9. Questia. Web. 31 May 2010.Nazi Neighbour Nathan Gasch Moved to the US to Escape His Holocaust Memo ries but sestet Decades on He Discovered the Man Next Door Was an SS Guard. at the Camp Where He Had Been a Prisoner. The Mirror (London, England) 6 Oct. 2007 31. Questia. Web. 31 May 2010.S. Fla. infirmary Called Most Dangerous - Health News Story - WPLG Miami. Just News Miami News, Fort Lauderdale News, Florida News, Weather WPLG Local 10. Local 10 News, 14 Sept. 2009. Web. 27 May 2010. .Skloot, Rebecca. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. New York Crown, 2010. Print.Williams, Patricia J. State of Denial. The Nation 13 Oct. 2003 10. Questia. Web. 31 May 2010.