[conspire] Henrietta Lacks

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Ruben Safir (ruben at mrbrklyn.com):

> I agree.  But I think that in this specfic case, under these
> circumstances that her cells were taken, as I understand it, without her
> permision, and because of the great financial benifits to the healthcare
> companies, that it would be correct for the industry to reach above and
> beyond the law, and just do the right thing.
> 
> What the right thing is, is a question.

I'll concur with that.

I merely would add that taking such samples without patient permission
was at the time unexceptional, and not seen as wrongful.

Retroactively making these gestures to be respectful seems like a fine
thing.  Where I start to have doubts is the subtle implication of it
being an entitlement.  That strikes me as not something to accept
without rather a lot more thought.

In particular, the notion that your family could claim income rights 
to exploit the disease cells that killed you makes me a little queasy,
and I'm not sure I like that tradition.