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ultimatekate's review against another edition
5.0
This book tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, whose cells (called HeLa by scientists) are immortal. Because they are always growing and replicating, scientists have been able to study them and use them to develop treatments for various forms of cancer, STDs, AIDS, and a whole host of other illnesses. Scientists--and it seems like much of the world--knows HeLa, but doesn't know Henrietta. Her cells were taken without her permission or consent, so for years, parts of her lived while her body was dead, all the while without her family knowing.
Skloot does a great job of telling four stories simultanteously--the story of Henrietta Lacks, the stories of her family memember, the story of the scientists uncovering and using the cells, and the story of writing the book. Thankfully she also included a timeline at the top of each chapter, because the jumping around would have been extremely confusing otherwise.
I found one of the most interesting parts was the debate over tissue. In the 1950s when Henreitta's sample was taken, she wasn't asked to sign a form allowing doctor's to use her tissue samples. Her cells, though, are bought and sold regularly in labs around the world. So should her family receive part of that money? Did Johns Hopkins, the hospital that treated Henrietta, receive any money from this? The answer is, "I'm not so sure." Even now, there's not a clear answer. Your tissues and blood, when taken by a doctor, can be used for whatever the scientists seem fit because preventing them from doing so might inhibit research. I'm not sure what's right and what's wrong, but it is an interesting debate.
Skloot does a great job of telling four stories simultanteously--the story of Henrietta Lacks, the stories of her family memember, the story of the scientists uncovering and using the cells, and the story of writing the book. Thankfully she also included a timeline at the top of each chapter, because the jumping around would have been extremely confusing otherwise.
I found one of the most interesting parts was the debate over tissue. In the 1950s when Henreitta's sample was taken, she wasn't asked to sign a form allowing doctor's to use her tissue samples. Her cells, though, are bought and sold regularly in labs around the world. So should her family receive part of that money? Did Johns Hopkins, the hospital that treated Henrietta, receive any money from this? The answer is, "I'm not so sure." Even now, there's not a clear answer. Your tissues and blood, when taken by a doctor, can be used for whatever the scientists seem fit because preventing them from doing so might inhibit research. I'm not sure what's right and what's wrong, but it is an interesting debate.
enbylievable's review against another edition
5.0
An amazing read that I recommend to everyone. The nonconsensual use of Henrietta Lacks' cervical cancer cells revolutionized the field of science and biology, and are still changing the world today. If you have ever received a vaccine for polio, HPV, and many more, you have Henrietta Lacks to thank, and her cells are a part of you.
threeara's review against another edition
4.75
This was so much more complicated and interesting than I expected.
thejscissortail's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
fbroom's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to this book (audible.com)
Fascinating and insightful, great read.
Notes:
- Henrietta Lacks was a poor black woman who suffered from cervical cancer in 1950. The hospital took tissues from her body without her consent, those cells were called Hela
- Although Hnerietta Lacks cells were important in medicine and have contributed a lot to medical research, her family didn’t benefit from it and lived poor, even without medical insurance
- Not all researchers are good people, some are evil (Researchers injecting live cancer cells into unknowing patients in the 1960s is an example)
- Hospitals can take tissues from your body for medical research without your consent. While there is a point into allowing medical research to advance quickly, those researchers though can also patent and commercialize those tissues/cells/DNA (one controversial case is Myriad patenting a breast cancer gene and selling the test for an outrageous amount, look up Myriad vs Supreme Court)
Fascinating and insightful, great read.
Notes:
- Henrietta Lacks was a poor black woman who suffered from cervical cancer in 1950. The hospital took tissues from her body without her consent, those cells were called Hela
- Although Hnerietta Lacks cells were important in medicine and have contributed a lot to medical research, her family didn’t benefit from it and lived poor, even without medical insurance
- Not all researchers are good people, some are evil (Researchers injecting live cancer cells into unknowing patients in the 1960s is an example)
- Hospitals can take tissues from your body for medical research without your consent. While there is a point into allowing medical research to advance quickly, those researchers though can also patent and commercialize those tissues/cells/DNA (one controversial case is Myriad patenting a breast cancer gene and selling the test for an outrageous amount, look up Myriad vs Supreme Court)
art3mis9's review against another edition
3.0
Well written, but not wholly about Henrietta Lacks. This is more about her daughter.
ktmp2112's review against another edition
5.0
This is such an important story, and everyone needs to read it.
chhhloejean's review against another edition
5.0
Read it in 24 hours. Informational & emotional. Sad about my own ignorance and shocked by all that science education lacks. Important to be conscious of my biases as I practice medicine & to be a more careful consumer of medical research.