Keeping and Utilization During Medical Operations, Essay Example

Background of Issue

Every person as the right to decide for his or her own life especially when it comes to accepting particular medical procedures to be done on them; and this includes the decision whether or not a person would allow particular bodily substances and elements to be used for particular future research. However, it could be understood that there are instances when medical practitioners take the initiative to draw particular elements and substances from their patients especially for those who may have been diagnosed with particularly hard to resolve ailments. During these particular situations, the patients are expected to allow such procedure as they are likely to benefit from the research.

The Need for the Medical Process: Pros and Cons

In a way, the need to draw substances or elements from a patient during medical procedures is a protocol among medical practitioners. This is especially recognized during times when the said elements need to be explored and observed for the sake of finding a medical solution that could cure the patient. Nevertheless, there are instances when such elements are extendedly utilized by the medical sectors especially if they find something exceptional which they feel should be researched upon accordingly. When situations like this arise, a particular aspect of ethical questioning could be considered, especially when it comes to the consent of the patient on the manner of utilizing his [bodily substances and/or elements] for future research purposes.

One example to this particular case is that of Henrietta Lacks’ condition and the cancerous cell that has been derived from her system. The medical attendants of Lacks felt the need to draw the cancer cells from her system to actually know what happened and what could actually be done later on in cases when other patients would need the same attention and procedures that Lacks needed. Relatively, such condition presented an opportunity to explore the other possibilities that could be resolved from the cells of the patient. During the process of drawing though, no consent from the patient nor from the family members have been derived by the medical attendants. After several months, when the researchers observed a distinct characteristic on the cells of Lacks, they created the HeLa cell which specifically became an interesting substance for researchers to be able to explore different possibilities of resolving issues relating to cancer cells and cancer developing conditions among patients who are notably presenting particular symptoms close to that of Lacks. The popularity of HeLa increased and other medical researchers wanted to explore further, prompting them to call the family members of the Lacks asking them for samples. Because of this, the family began to know about the situation and considered such matter a sense of ‘years of exploitation’ of the cells that came from HeLa. They viewed that somehow, such act was not so respectful to the being of HeLa.

What the Experts are Expected to Do

It should be taken into account though that it is through these particular procedures of research that huge resource of resolutions to particularly hard to contend with ailments come forth. This means that such approach is indeed necessary in support to the development of medical approaches that are designed to address specific ailments that affect a particular number of individuals in the society. Relatively, it will ease out the health problems and create resolutions that are necessary to keep up with the needs of the society. In a way though, medical practitioners should never abandon their need to respond to specific rules of their profession which includes ethical conditions of dealing with patients. Asking for their consent is a sign of respect to their rights as cells, tissues or other substances from the patients are considered as their personal property [hence demanding for the respect that comes from the medical practitioners attending to their needs]. Although it might be harder to gain such consent, it is always easier to deal with researchers with the full support of the patients from whom the primary medical samples would come from rather than keeping the researches highly confidential.

How Patients Ought to Decide

Taken from the explanation presented herein, it could be understood well that as medical practitioners are empowered to provide necessary information that would help patients understand the situation to conform with the ethical values they follow, the patients are at the deciding end of either consenting to the matter or not. Given that it belongs to an individual whether or not he would allow his biological elements to be used for research, a patient must be able to weigh the advantages compared to the disadvantages of the situation. Consenting to the drawing and utilization of such biological elements could help well in developing new medications that could save thousands of lives in the future. Hence, it is highly suggested that each patient faced with such a decision be conscientious enough as he thinks about how much his biological samples could help others and how that could be his legacy to the field of advanced medical research.

Conclusion

Based from the overall context of this discussion, it could be accounted for that medical researches need to have specific samples to use for exploration and development procedures, The willingness of the medical practitioners and the patients to work towards such advancements specifically affect the manner by which modern medicine takes on the new challenges of facing different ailments as they affect the modern human society. Only through this cooperation and collaboration between the parties involved in the situation that the success over the fight against killer disease could be won accordingly.

Works Cited

Gold, Michael (January 1986). A Conspiracy of Cells: One Woman’s Immortal Legacy and the Medical Scandal It Caused. State University of New York Press.

Wald, Priscilla. “American Studies and the Politics of Life” American Quarterly 64.2 (June 2012): 185-204

Wald, Priscilla. “Cells, Genes, and Stories: HeLa’s Journey from Labs to Literature,” Genetics and the Unsettled Past: The Collision of Race, DNA and History, ed. Keith Wailoo, Alondra Nelson, and Catherine Lee, Rutgers University Press (2012): 247-65

Wald,, Priscilla. “Science Fiction and Medical Ethics,” The Lancet (June 14, 2009; 371.9629)