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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 2 august 2023

Henrietta Lacks’ family settles lawsuit with a biotech company that

used her cells without consent

By LEA SKENE and SARAH panies have patented
BRUMFIELD ways of using them.
Associated Press In their complaint, Lacks’
BALTIMORE (AP) — More descendants argued that
than 70 years after doctors her treatment illustrates a
at Johns Hopkins Hospital much larger issue that per-
took Henrietta Lacks’ cervi- sists today: racism inside
cal cells without her knowl- the U.S. medical system.
edge, a lawyer for her de- “The exploitation of Henri-
scendants said they have etta Lacks represents the
reached a settlement with unfortunately common
a biotechnology company struggle experienced by
that they accused of reap- Black people throughout
ing billions of dollars from a history,” the complaint
racist medical system. reads.In a brief filed in sup-
Tissue taken from the Black port of the Lacks family, at-
woman’s tumor before torneys advocating for civil
she died of cervical can- rights, women’s rights and
cer became the first hu- health care equity said
man cells to continuously the case is one of many in
grow and reproduce in lab Attorney Ben Crump, second from left, walks with Ron Lacks, left, Alfred Lacks Carter, third from which U.S. doctors and sci-
dishes. HeLa cells went on left, both grandsons of Henrietta Lacks, and other descendants of Lacks, outside the federal entists have exploited mi-
courthouse in Baltimore, Oct. 4, 2021.
to become a cornerstone Associated Press nority patients.q
of modern medicine, en-
abling countless scientific agreement. A poor tobac-
and medical innovations, co farmer from southern
including the develop- Virginia, Lacks got married
ment of the polio vaccine, and moved with her hus-
genetic mapping and band to Turner Station, a
even COVID-19 vaccines. historically Black commu-
Despite that incalculable nity outside Baltimore. They
impact, the Lacks family were raising five children
had never been compen- when doctors discovered
sated.Lacks’ cells were a tumor in Lacks’ cervix
harvested in 1951, when and saved a sample of her
it was not illegal to do so cancer cells collected dur-
without a patient’s per- ing a biopsy. Lacks died
mission. But lawyers for her at age 31 in the “colored
family argued that Thermo ward” of Johns Hopkins
Fisher Scientific Inc., of Hospital. She was buried in
Waltham, Massachusetts, an unmarked grave.
continued to commercial- While most cell samples
ize the results long after the died shortly after being re-
origins of the HeLa cell line moved from the body, her
became well known. The cells survived and thrived
company unjustly enriched in laboratories. They be-
itself off Lacks’ cells, the came known as the first im-
family argued in their law- mortalized human cell line
suit, filed in 2021. because scientists could
The settlement came after cultivate them indefinitely,
closed-door negotiations meaning researchers any-
that lasted all day Monday where could reproduce
inside the federal court- studies using identical cells.
house in Baltimore. Some of The remarkable science
Lacks’ grandchildren were involved and the impact
among the family mem- on the Lacks family, some
bers who attended the of whom had chronic ill-
talks. Attorney Ben Crump, nesses and no health insur-
who represents the family, ance were documented
announced the settlement in a bestselling book by Re-
late Monday and said the becca Skloot, “The Immor-
terms are confidential. tal Life of Henrietta Lacks,”
In a joint statement, Ther- which was published in
mo Fisher representa- 2010. Oprah Winfrey por-
tives and attorneys for trayed her daughter in an
the Lacks family said they HBO movie about the story.
were pleased to resolve Johns Hopkins said it never
the matter and declined sold or profited from the
to comment further on the cell lines, but many com-