The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

[NurseNell]

I've been on the waiting list at the library for over a month for The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. I got it today. This is the true story of cancer cells taken from her body without her knowledge or consent, and they continue to grow today. They led to the development of the polio vaccine, uncovered secrets about cancer, viruses, and the A-Bomb's effects. They led to the advances in IVF, cloning, and gene mapping. It's a story about her and what was done with her cells. The cell lines have brought in billions of dollars to the medical industry, and her family, poor blacks, never received a cent. They didn't even know about it. It's a story with all kinds of ethical questions to be asked.

 

Nell

[keen23]

That's a great book. My book club (that I dropped out of) read that about a year ago.

[treemom]

It was really good. And it was written by someone who was a proffessor at University of Memphis when she wrote it. It ended up getting a lot of airplay here.

[Little_Eyes]

I'm reading it this semester for one of my classes... What I love about it is not only the ethical questions it raises, but also the interdisciplinary nature of the book. Someone in any major can find something to love about it, I think.