HENRIETTA LACKS - Assignment Example

HENRIETTA LACKS THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS Henrietta Lacks was a cervical cancer patient who died in 1951. Before her demise doctors had cut a sample of her cancer cells and reproduced them artificially in a lab for research at John Hopkins Hospital. These cells had a life of their own and seemed to multiply fast. They are still alive up to today and have helped scientists in the study of cancer, development of vaccines, study of HIV AIDS and even research on aging. Henrietta Lacks family would later learn that her cells were alive after a period of 25 years.

Even though the cells had created a large industry with a lot of income, the family did not share in the profits. This created a debate in the science and research world on whether we are in control of what we are made of (Skloot, pp.1-3). The story of Henrietta Lacks brings up the question of consent and whether a patient should be told when his or her cells are put in use. During the 1950s, there was no law against these practices but now there are laws that have to be adhered to. The question of informed consent remains a major ethical issue in nursing practise.

He-la cells have had an Impact in medicine and vaccination. They have been used to find a vaccine for polio and even in the study of diseases such as tuberculosis and many others that have in turn changed the medicine world (Skloot, pp.3-7). This story also serves as an inspiration to leave an impact on the nursing community. Henrietta died a long time ago, but her influence is still felt up to today. Through cultural knowledge scientists can study human tissue and develop a cure for diseases as soon as they occur.

The centre for disease control engages in the practice of development of cell-based flu vaccines which has helped nurses to fight outbreaks all over the world such the swine flu outbreak. Nurses have used the study stem cell culture for therapeutic and research activities affect health leading growth of medicine as a branch of science (Nagy, Rossant, Nagy, Abramo, Newerly, Roder,paras.5-6).References Rebecca Skloot "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks".2010. Web.8th.April.2015.A Nagy, J Rossant, R Nagy, W Abramo, w-Newerly, J C Roder.

"Stem cell culture" .1993. Web 8th April 2015< http://www.pnas.org/content/90/18/8424>.