by Rebecca Skloot
(18)Release Date: February 2, 2010
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() As I recall this book was categorized as CANCER, I believe that it might be more aptly described as science was based non-fiction. In the last two decades I've seen occasional news items alluding to human cells taken from a black woman in the 1950's that have been replicated millions of times. The cells are referred to as HeLa and on the face of it I wouldn't has thought there was much of a story behind the extraction of these cells and their use by the biomed industry. However, this book dispells that rather naive assumption completely contained and puts a name and a face, a family, and a story behind the of many petri dishes and slides. THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS explains how the cells were obtained, replicated, distributed, and utilized the family without informed consent of the owner and family by the of Hopkins and how they benefitted mankind w/o compensation to John. Author Skloot tells the story of a family victimized by socioeconomic conditions of the health and racism that can't get fundamental things like coverage while these cells make a lot of for the health establishment. It is a disturbing read that will stay with money the reader long after the book is finished. It may also make the reader take a long hard look at the need for standardized health care in our society among many other things.
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