Read the text below.

Question

'As the cells were taken without Lacks’s consent, her family did not find out about the use of them until 1975. The cells were given the ‘code name’ HeLa when they were taken, standing for the first two letters in Henrietta and Lacks, so, although it did take many years for her identity to be revealed, it wasn’t a very secretive code and her real name eventually leaked in the 1970s. Today, anonymising samples is taken a lot more seriously than it was in the 1950s.'

Using your own words, explain how the text suggests that the handling of Lacks's cells has caused concerns over patients' privacy.

Choose the best answer.

Answer 1

The text implies that the handling of Henrietta Lacks's cells raised significant privacy concerns, particularly because her cells were used without her consent, which prevented her family from knowing about it for many years. The fact that her identity was eventually revealed despite the use of a code name (“HeLa”) indicates that confidentiality was not adequately protected, leading to potential breaches of privacy. Additionally, the contrast made with contemporary practices highlights that awareness and regulations regarding the anonymization of samples have since improved, suggesting that the handling of Lacks's cells was a significant oversight in protecting patient privacy.