"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot is a nonfiction book that tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman whose cancer cells were taken without her knowledge and used for scientific research. The book explores the ethical and moral implications of using human tissue for medical research and the impact of Henrietta's cells, known as HeLa cells, on modern medicine. Henrietta's cells were the first human cells to be successfully cloned, and they have been used to develop countless medical treatments and scientific discoveries. However, her family was never compensated for the use of her cells, and they only learned about the use of her cells decades after her death. The book explores medical ethics, race, and class in America through the Lacks family's experiences and Skloot's journey to uncover the story of Henrietta's cells. It highlights the human cost of scientific progress and the significance of informed consent in medical research.
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