A while back, I read a thought-provoking book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, about a woman named Henrietta Lacks who died of cancer in the 1950’s and whose “immortal” cells have been used in cancer (and other) research ever since. In other words, her cells are still alive today! Here is the link to the book review: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/books/03book.html
I would like the class to discuss the following:
The biology of the difference between normal and cancer cells.
Were there ethical issues in the use of Mrs. Lack’s cells?
Should discarded tissue be used for research without the patient’s consent?
What might be the role of race and poverty in the case of Henrietta Lack, and how might have race and poverty affected her medical care?
