Lessons from The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
The famous Hela cells have been used to help save many lives affected with cancer more than half a century after the infamous incident. The debate over the role of consent and medical ethics in the story against the revolution in the medical field persists to date. In my view, the benefits of HeLa cells outweigh the means, and they were obtained. This means that although they were taken without her consent, the well-intended surgeons have made more progress with the action. If Henrietta Lacks had rejected the proposal to take her cells, she would have hindered the medical progress that has helped advance the treatment of polio, cloning, and a variety of cancer treatments.
The doctors may have acted on a notion to save millions at the expense of one person. However, they should be appreciated because they did not sacrifice her life for the sake of saving others. Instead, they still tried to help her recover while using her to contribute to the greater good of humankind.
Since ethical values evolve and metamorphose with time, the mid-twentieth cultural backgrounds and religious beliefs would have influenced a negative response from the patient. It would be difficult to agree on the appropriate ethical standards, especially when dealing with a sensitive and special issue.
I have also learned that various contributing factors play a role in determining the decision-making process. They include; moral concepts, medical ethics, cultural backgrounds, and religious beliefs, among others. Without this interference, doctors can make quick decisions on such critical matters.
Some of the questions that still linger are; how to determine the intentions of the surgeons and the criteria to use when selecting a patient for bio-specimen.