This story has become almost an urban legend, that every cell line used in medical testing around the world comes from a single person that was unaware that his/her cell line is used in these experiments. This is a heartbreaking story of the woman behind the cell line, the indignities she and her families suffered and ultimately the importance of her legacy to the world.
I must say that in reading this book, I am deeply disturbed by the utilitarian argument presented by medical researcher that uses her cell line, when even Henrietta’s family can’t afford medical insurance. At the end of the day, the question raised is not just one of moral integrity, but also medical and racial relation ethics.