BP #9 - Final Reflection on HeLa

1. If you learned that tissue removed from your body during a routine procedure or examination at a doctor's office at some point in the past had gone on to significantly benefit science and research, would you feel that you should be retroactively compensated?

  If my tissue were removed from my body during a routine procedure or examination in the past, I would feel that i should be retroactively compensated. First, I will check how my cells or tissue are being used and what kind of research the cells or tissue are involved in. Then i would check when the doctors took my tissue before. Frankly speaking, if i didn't read the book about Henrietta, I would try to get compensation about using my cells without consent. However, after reading the book, i have known  that there is no law about the right of using cells and many cells or tissues from other people are using in some research now. Therefore, if my cells or tissue could help to heal other people or develpo medical skills, i would let them keep doing the research in which my cells are involved.

2. Which do you think is more important - your right to control your own tissue, or contributinto to science and research for the greater good of humanity?

  In my opinion, both my right to control my own tissue and contribute to science and research for the geater good of humanity. It is hard to choose which is more important. I think, it needs proper ways to satisfy with both sides. For example, If someone who has cells which are really helpful to study for some specific reasearch admits to use his/her cells for the research, the cells are available for the research. However, if the man don't agree to use his/her cells for the research, doctors or researchers should try to get consent from the people. if the people want to have some compensation, the doctors or researchers should find a way to deal with the asking. It is difficult to choose which is more important but it is sure that both, individual rights and developing science, should be respected, not neglect either one.