Name ____________________
Regents Biology
Cancer/HeLa Cell Discussion
1.
From an ethical standpoint, how do you feel about Henrietta Lacks’ cells being taken without her permission? Do you sympathize with the doctors who were attempting to advance medicine or the Lacks’ family who was left unaware for so long?
2.
Has the progress that medicine made since HeLa cells were taken been worth the Lacks’ family suffering?
3.
Should the Lacks’ family be entitled to compensation based on the fact that billions of dollars has been made by medical and science supply companies from Henrietta’s cells?
4.
Henrietta’s cells were taken prior to the requirement of consent forms for medical procedures.
Many people do not read the fine print of these forms which often state that cells may be taken and used for research purposes. Do you believe you have a right to monetary compensation or recognition if your removed cells are used for research which leads to the next big medical discovery?
5.
Henrietta’s cells were among the first to be genetically sequenced. In the 1970s the family was called in by researchers at Johns Hopkins University Hospital under the assumption that they were being tested for cancer. All of her children’s cells were sequenced and their genes have been published in numerous scientific journals. In 2013 the Lacks’ family DNA sequence was made available over the internet. Considering the information that is contained within your DNA do you believe this is a violation of her children’s privacy? Would you be okay with your DNA sequence and the probability of you inheriting any illnesses being published and available for anyone to view? Explain your position.