Research the story of Henrietta Lacks, and answer the following questions or complete the assigned discussion points. A good source to use is http://rebeccaskloot.com/the-immortal- life/, but there are other websites with reliable information. If you are particularly interested in Henrietta’s case, you may want to read the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.
Questions
Review the chapter content.
1. Summarize the story of Henrietta Lacks. Emphasize the key points.
2. Using any chapter from your ethics text, list as many ethical issues as you can find that are relevant to Henrietta’s case. Explain the rationale for your selections.
3. Is Kant’s deontology philosophy relevant to the case? Why or why not?
4. Is utilitarian philosophy relevant to the case? Why or why not?
5. Is virtue ethics relevant to the case? Why or why not?
6. Ultimately, do you believe the benefits of using HeLa cells, as they have been used, outweigh the ethical lapses that occurred? Defend your answer.
