lets start with a question based on your opinion. Consider this: most Americans have their tissue on file somewhere. In 1999 the RAND Corporation published a report that more than 307 million tissue samples from more than 178 million people were stored in the United States. This number, the report said, was increasing by more than 20 million samples each year. These samples come from routine medical tests, operations, clinical trials and research donations. (See the New York Times article)

1. What do you think would be the repercussions if scientists were required to inform and get consent? Would restricting this impede scientific advancements and perhaps harm the public good?

After reading and viewing the materials on Henrietta Lacks, answer the follow questions:

1. At the time of it’s occurrence (prior to Belmont Report) was there an ethical breach in the medical care that Henrietta Lacks received?

2. Was there an ethical breach by the researchers that received Henrietta Lacks cells?
If this happened today:

3. What kind of harm may have been done to Henrietta or her family by the researchers? (intentionally or unintentionally)

4. Is there an ethical consequence for the Lacks family that we should be concerned about?

References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnUp0xQlfK8&feature=youtu.be

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