http://patients.about.com/od/empowermentbasics/a/patrr.htm
Many decades ago around 1950's in the united state, there were many difficulties to getting a medical treatment especially African-American. The novel, immoral life of henrietta lack, described that how it was difficult to cure from illness. Moreover a few of opportunities of getting knowledge made them hard to understand what doctors did to them and why they had to know for medical treatment.
in many years ago in the united state, people who were colored were poor and did not have any money with them beside they had less opportunity to get a medicine. John Hopkins offered its medical treatment to the colored people as free. so many people went there if they were sick. Because of the free treatment, the doctors who worked at Hopkins took patient's cell without any permission or consent.
now we know that we have patient's right which say medical treatment and human ethics. our bodies are considered as our property so if the doctors need to research they have to get a permission from us. also doctors treated everyone as equally no matter how patient's skins color. doctors have totally different view between past and now. they respect the human ethics.