I read a book The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks weeks ago. The author Rebecca Skloot spent ten years to complete and it became New York Times bestseller. This book about a black woman-Henrietta Lacks. She is black poor tobacco farmer whose cells were taken by a doctor without her knowledge in 1951. Her cells never died and became an important tool in medicine. In addition, her cells have been bought and sold by billions but her family can not afford health insurance. Was it legal to take her cells without a inform consent in that period?
According to book Henrietta lacks signed a consent form that said, “I hereby give consent to the staff of the Johns Hopkins to perform any operative procedures and under any anaesthetic ethic local or general that they may deem necessary in the proper surgical care any treatment of:__”(page31).
I totally believe Telinde and Gey had the right to obtain a sample from Henrietta Lacks’ cell to use in their research. First of all, this story happened in 1951 when the law is white people and black people they are equal but separate. Black person use the door is “color”, use the room also “color”.It is still separation. Second, at that time the Johns Hopkins Hospital is the only one the black person can enter for their treatment. Finally, we know cancer treatment is expensive, Henrietta Lacks’ family did not need to pay anything for the cervical cancer in Jones Hopkins. Without a doubt, I believe that without a inform consent is illegal at the era of Jim Cow.
In contrast, if this story happened now, I do not believe Telinde and Gey would have the right to obtain a sample from Henrietta Lacks’ cell to use in their research. The first reason is they are cheating for taking the cells without her knowledge. Did they care about what the Henrietta Lacks felling? Did she agree to take the cells? Another reason is this statement is unclear. Doctors take the cells for her cancer research, they also can do them for other research. The most important one is that one of her cell become important tool in medical research and they make lots of money from it. But after her death, her children’s lives are poor and they can not afford health insurance. Obviously, it is unfair and unequal in today’s law.
In sum, I am so pained by the dark side of medical experimentation in the history, but I can understand the doctors who took the cells without her knowledge. Different time have different law. History just history, you can not do it with a hate attitude, you go remember times was different. I am glad in this society, we have the power of decision-making.
Proofreading strategies: 1. Take a break from book.
2. Read my writing around.
3. Read my paper backward.
According to book Henrietta lacks signed a consent form that said, “I hereby give consent to the staff of the Johns Hopkins to perform any operative procedures and under any anaesthetic ethic local or general that they may deem necessary in the proper surgical care any treatment of:__”(page31).
I totally believe Telinde and Gey had the right to obtain a sample from Henrietta Lacks’ cell to use in their research. First of all, this story happened in 1951 when the law is white people and black people they are equal but separate. Black person use the door is “color”, use the room also “color”.It is still separation. Second, at that time the Johns Hopkins Hospital is the only one the black person can enter for their treatment. Finally, we know cancer treatment is expensive, Henrietta Lacks’ family did not need to pay anything for the cervical cancer in Jones Hopkins. Without a doubt, I believe that without a inform consent is illegal at the era of Jim Cow.
In contrast, if this story happened now, I do not believe Telinde and Gey would have the right to obtain a sample from Henrietta Lacks’ cell to use in their research. The first reason is they are cheating for taking the cells without her knowledge. Did they care about what the Henrietta Lacks felling? Did she agree to take the cells? Another reason is this statement is unclear. Doctors take the cells for her cancer research, they also can do them for other research. The most important one is that one of her cell become important tool in medical research and they make lots of money from it. But after her death, her children’s lives are poor and they can not afford health insurance. Obviously, it is unfair and unequal in today’s law.
In sum, I am so pained by the dark side of medical experimentation in the history, but I can understand the doctors who took the cells without her knowledge. Different time have different law. History just history, you can not do it with a hate attitude, you go remember times was different. I am glad in this society, we have the power of decision-making.
Proofreading strategies: 1. Take a break from book.
2. Read my writing around.
3. Read my paper backward.