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Science Literacy

Science literacy – Why is it important to educate people to be scientifically literate?

How does scientific literacy play a role in the treatment of Henrietta Lacks and her family?
What current issues are important for the general population to have a scientific understanding of?
What negative consequences result from a lack of scientific literacy? Give specific examples.

Immortality

Immortality – What does it mean to be immortal?

Henrietta Lacks died in 1951 but her cells and her memory lives on. Does this make her immortal?
How do our cultural and our religious beliefs impact our understanding of immortality?
How has our understanding of immortality changed as our scientific understanding and advances in science have grown?

Immortality Across Religions and Cultures
The Miracle of "HELA"
The original 1976 Ebony article that stated Henrietta's full name. It included interviews and pictures of her family.
Family Talks about Dead Mother Whose Cells Fight Cancer
A 1976 Jet magazine with interviews and photographs of Henrietta's husband and children.
Her Cells Made Her Immortal
An early article about the Lacks family efforts to gain recognition for their mother. Includes interviews of her children.

Medical Ethics

Medical ethics – How has our understanding of ethics in medicine changed as a result of Henrietta Lacks’ story? (You do not have to discuss all of these issues)

Informed consent - Henrietta’s cells were taken without her knowledge and without her consent. Even if she had given permission she probably would not have understood the implications of her decision.
Privacy - Henrietta’s genetic information is now widely available. Her descendants share some of her genetic information which means their information is also available. Her name was originally kept private but has since been shared outside of the medical community.
Ownership of tissues - Millions of dollars are made every year on the cloning of Henrietta’s cells and the discoveries that have come from her cells. Who should own the tissues and genetic information that came from Henrietta’s cells?

Informed Consent:

Privacy:

Ownership:

Honoriing the Henrietta Lacks Legacy at Hopkins

Racism in Medicine

Racism in Medicine – What is the impact of racism in medicine?

What role did racism play in the treatment of Henrietta Lacks, the collection and distribution of her cells, and the treatment of her family after her death?
How is racism still impacting medical outcomes for people of color?
How do historical examples of racism in medicine impact people of color today?

Bad Medicine: The Harm That Comes From Racism
New York Times article outlines how racial bias affects health care.
Health Care and Racism
An overview of racial discrimination and its impact.
In counties with more Black doctors, Black people live longer, ‘astonishing’ study finds
Some Black and Latino Americans are still hesitant to take the vaccine. Here's what is fueling that distrust.
African Americans are the worst-hit ethnic group in the US coronavirus crisis. A decades-old mistrust in government health services called the 'Tuskegee Effect' could be fuelling the problem.
Trust, Risk, and Race in American Medicine
Why do African Americans mistrust the US health care system and what should providers do about it?
CDC: Racism and Health
Key Data on Health and Health Care by Race and Ethnicity
Kaiser report with compelling statistics on race in medicine and health.
Caring for Equality : A History of African American Health and Healthcare
Chapter 4: Civil Rights, Health Rights
Provides an overview of health care available to African Americans post WWII - 1960

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Science Literacy

Immortality

Medical Ethics

Racism in Medicine