The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

In 1951, a scientist cultured the world's first immortal cell line, which has since been used by scientists all over the world. This cell line has made possible a wide variety of scientific discoveries and medical advancements, such as vaccines and cancer treatments. The woman from whom these cells were taken would not be publicly identified until 1971, however, and until 1973, her family knew nothing about how her cells were used. Henrietta Lacks, the woman from whom the "HeLa" cells were cultured, died the same year her cells were taken from her; she never knew or consented to her cells being harvested. In this book, the author, Rebecca Skloot, goes on a quest to find out more about the woman responsible for the miraculous cells and the impact the actions regarding her cells have had on her family. In the process, Skloot delves into moral dilemmas about patient privacy and scientific discovery.