The Mother of Modern Medicine: Henrietta Lacks and the Debate Over HeLa Cells
The Debate Over Ethics
In the 1950s there were no consent laws to be broken. During this time, it was not uncommon to conduct these types of studies without patients’ knowledge. While making many advancements in research, medical communities were lacking ethical regulations to protect patients’ privacy and informed consent rights.
Lacks, Henrietta. “Operation Permit.” Daily Mail, Associated Newspapers Ltd.
TeLinde often used patients from the public wards for research, usually without their knowledge. Many scientists believed that since patients were treated for free in the public wards, it was fair to use them as research subjects as a form of payment.
-Rebecca Skloot, The Immortal Life f Henrietta Lacks
Upholding the Highest Bioethical Standards. 2021. Johns Hopkins Medicine
Curtis, Adam. The Way of All Flesh. British Broadcasting Corporation; 2007.
After removing Henrietta Lacks’ cells and discovering their immortality, Dr. Gey informed other researchers about his discovery of the HeLa cells, and freely gave the HeLa cells to other researchers and research institutions.