![]() ![]() Without the human body, human life as we know it would not be the way we know it. It was these cells that have become famous in medical research and without which much of the gains realized today would not have been achieved (Bley, Elizabeth). He ar cells are immortal since they can propagate indefinitely, be iced up for decades, separated into different clusters and shared amongst researchers. In 1951, a researcher at Johns Hopkins in Maryland created the first human cell line that was ‘immortal’ using cervical cancer tissue samples from Henrietta. In the laboratory, medical researcher's laboratory-grown human cells are used to study finer details on the working of cells and test various theories. It was this tissue that has become a valuable and controversial research resource. In the case of Henrietta Lacks, excess tissue was extracted for diagnosis. The four acceptable sources for specimens include prospective tissue, excess tissue, cadaveric tissue, and reproductive tissue, (Allen, M. In the 15th century, researchers once again started to study human tissue without fear, a tradition that continues to date. However, when the Roman Empire fell, this complicated research on anatomy almost stopping them entirely with the use of cadavers made illegal. The human body and its tissues have been studied for a long time, dating back to ancient Greece. Human Tissue Possession and Use in Biomedical Study The questions begging for answers are two: What is the value of Henrietta’s cells? Should Henrietta or her family have been informed adequately that her cells had been taken and preserved and Should she or her family have been compensated for the same? This essay delves into this controversy to primarily seek the value of human cells. ![]() Her family is currently claiming compensation for the use of her cells, (McDaniels, Andrea ). In a period that lasted over twenty years, the family never knew that her cells were being used (Skloot, Rebecca). ![]() The fact that Henrietta’s cells were taken without her knowledge and then used to in medical advances up is an area of concern, and so is the reality that her cells have continued to earn a lot of money, none of which ever benefitted Lacks or has been useful to her impoverished family. The story of Henrietta Lacks, as told in Rebecca Skloot's 2010 novel The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, delves into this debate (Skloot, Rebecca). One such risk is the possibility of researchers taking and profiting from such body cells and tissues without the knowledge of those affected. The selection and use of certain cells and tissues from individuals are beneficial for medical advancement, but it raises ethical concerns (Entine, Jon). Cells and tissues are used for analysis and later use in diseases such as polio and cancer, as well as medical techniques such as assisted fertilization and gene mapping. Medical progress is heavily reliant on the utilization of human cells and tissue. ![]()
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