Sunday, September 30, 2012

"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot ****

  • Audiobook
  • Non-Fiction
  • US author
  • Story of first set of human cells ever to spontaneously reproduce, and the way they have impacted medical research and treatment worldwide, and continue to do so.  It is also the story of the woman who died, yet whose cells live on and the impact on her extended family
  • Review:   A fascinating book.  The author fairly adeptly weaves two true stories together, one of medical history being made and the other being the impact of that historical event on the extended family of Henrietta Lacks.  Both sides of the story involve a difficult medical ethics question about patient rights and their limits, along with the commercialization of scientific/medical research.  The audio version I listened to included an interview with the author at the end which was very interesting as well.

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