Henrietta Lacks: How a Black woman's cells were stolen in case of 'medical racism' in US

The family of a Black American woman, Henrietta Lacks, reached a settlement on Monday (July 31) with a biotech company that stole her cervical cells and harvested them without her knowledge in 1951. Ever since then, the company has been replicating her cells infinitely without paying any compensation to the family.

Henrietta Lacks’ cells were utilised in medical science to make massive advances and the cell line is still being used in research institutes worldwide.

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Lacks’ family fought for years to get justice for the “stolen” cells. The Massachusetts-based biotech company and the family reached a settlement on Monday, the details of which are not revealed in public.

Henrietta Lacks’ case: A gruesome tale of medical theft

Henrietta Lacks was 31 years old when her cells were stolen without her consent.

Lacks used to live in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1951, she began experiencing pain in her abdomen with abnormal bleeding. She was examined by gynaecologists at John Hopkins Hospital, who discovered a large mass on her cervix.

Without informing her or asking for permission, doctors sent a sample of her tumour to the lab for medical research before treating her for aggressive cervical cancer.

But, while nearly all cell cultures died quickly in the lab, cells taken from Lacks continued to multiply and didn’t age, making them almost “immortal”.

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The cell line was called ‘HeLa’ after Lacks’ first and last names. It was sent to research labs around the world for examination. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), HeLa cells have led to the creation of the polio vaccine and advancements in HIV, cancer and infertility research.

But the same properties that made the cells a scientific miracle proved to be lethal for Lacks. Months after her diagnosis, she died from cancer at 31 and was buried in an unmarked grave.

It was only decades later that the Lacks family discovered what had become of her cells.

A case of ‘medical racism’?

Civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, who represented the family in the negotiations with Thermo Fisher, the biotech company, said the procedure done by doctors left her in pain at the end of her life.

He said the mistreatment she received is similar to experiences suffered by other Black Americans who have sought help from US doctors.

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"The exploitation of Henrietta Lacks represents the unfortunately common struggle experienced by Black people throughout history," according to the lawsuit that led to Monday's settlement.

"Too often, the history of medical experimentation in the United States has been the history of medical racism."

Thermo Fisher tried several times to have the case dismissed due to a statute of limitation expiration.

(With inputs from agencies)

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