I've used HeLa cells. Using them never raised ethical issues for other folks in the lab, and I remember trying to foster discussion about the implications of using this tissue without the permission of the original donor (or her descendents) and basically I got blank looks everywhere I turned. I also saw brain tissue samples provided to researh scientests with a "don't ask" agreement of where it came from. It's really disgusting and it's totally true that the situation has only improved marginally, if at all. In my work I've made the argument that blood/tissue cannot be considered anonymous due to the genetic information included within (serious implications for the current administration of tissue banks) but I can't seem to get any traction there, even with other folks engaged in professional research ethics.
In Canada, indigenous peoples are pioneering work on claiming legal right to blood or tissue samples they donate to research indefinitely, as well as direct ownership of any data resulting from the study of such tissue. These communities are only consent to research which guarantees them these rights. It's a product of a history of severe abuses, but the end result is extremely interesting and innovative.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2010-02-03 01:04 am (UTC)In Canada, indigenous peoples are pioneering work on claiming legal right to blood or tissue samples they donate to research indefinitely, as well as direct ownership of any data resulting from the study of such tissue. These communities are only consent to research which guarantees them these rights. It's a product of a history of severe abuses, but the end result is extremely interesting and innovative.