Research Question: has the history of medicine been built on the foundation of unethical research/experimentation of African Americans?
Summary: within this article they state that the doctors did not ask Henrietta for consent before using her tissue for research, but at the same time they claim they never received any financial gains from the cell line. The vials were said to have been sold for 167 dollars a vial at one point. Someone was making money off of this women while her children that were left behind could not even afford health coverage. Based on this event many other cases have been investigated because physicians are getting rich off of using parts of other people. At the time even if the physicians that were working with Lack were receiving money they would not have shared. The article states "compensating such patients may have unintended consequences that could work to decrease the availability of tissue for research, and may paradoxically become a source of injustice." The biggest question that still seems to be undetermined is if consent should be a requirement whether you are making money or not.
This article is making me question the line of ethics. Because sometimes it can be very thin when it comes to more current events. There is no doubt that in the past the line was evident and those who stepped over it did it intentionally. I need to make my mind up and stick to one side. Im leaning more towards unethical.
Truog, Robert D., Kesselheim, Aaron S., and Joffe, Steven. "Paying Patients for Their Tissue: The Legacy of Henrietta Lacks." Science 337 (2012): 36-37. Print.
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