Tonight I hosted a screening and discussion of “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”. Everything worked technically and there was a good audience. I am very grateful for my chemistry students who came and contributed to the conversation.
Even if you don’t know Henrietta’s story, you’ve probably benefited from her cells. You can read the excellent book (by the same name) or this: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/henrietta-lacks.
A great development for the family of #HenriettaLacks, as far as I’m aware this is the first time they have received compensation for the theft of her cells in the 1950’s.
Beyond the obvious #racist mistreatment and exploitation of a Black woman, the story of #HeLa raises very critical (and unresolved) questions about ownership and rights to your own “medical waste,” as it’s called.
Companies have made billions using her HeLa cells for #biomedical research, including the development of vaccines and production of biological drugs. (Even I’ve used HeLa cells in my career, not then knowing Henrietta’s story I’m embarrassed to say). But monetization of medical waste happens to this day, and the law doesn’t currently entitle you to a share of that money. It’s a glaring problem that needs legislation to address.
Read the book about her, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.” it’s well worth your time.
Today would have been Henrietta's 103rd birthday. It's about time.
"Henrietta Lacks' descendants reach a settlement over the use of her 'stolen' cells
The family of Henrietta Lacks has reached a settlement with a science and technology company it says used cells taken without Lacks' consent in the 1950s to develop products it later sold for a profit.
Lacks, who was Black, was being treated for cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins University in 1951 when doctors removed cells from her tumor without her knowledge or permission.
Those cells — now known as HeLa cells — had remarkable properties that allowed them to be endlessly reproduced, and they have since been used for a variety of scientific breakthroughs, including research about the human genome and the development of the polio and COVID-19 vaccines."
Doctors harvested Henrietta Lacks’ cells in 1951, long before the advent of consent procedures used in medicine and scientific research today, but lawyers for her family argued that a Waltham-based biotechnology company has continued to commercialize the results well after the origins of the cell line became known.
Waltham biotech company settles with family of Henrietta Lacks over "immortal" cells harvested without consent (www.wbur.org)
Doctors harvested Henrietta Lacks’ cells in 1951, long before the advent of consent procedures used in medicine and scientific research today, but lawyers for her family argued that a Waltham-based biotechnology company has continued to commercialize the results well after the origins of the cell line became known.