![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/biotech-firm-settles-suit-over-claim-they-took-mum-of-modern-medicines-immortal-cells/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/0_Family-Of-Henrietta-Lacks-Settles-Lawsuit.jpg&description=More than 70 years since cells were taken from Henrietta Lacks without her consent, which would turn into HeLa cells, the family of the 'mother of modern medicine' has settled their lawsuit with a BioTech firm Relatives of the woman who became known as the 'mum of modern medicine' thanks to her 'immortal' cells have reached a settlement with the multi-billion-dollar biotechnology company accused of stealing her cells decades ago. More than 70 years ago, in 1951, doctors at John Hopkins Hospital took cervical cells from Henrietta Lacks without her knowledge. Tissue was taken from the Black woman's tumour before she died of cervical cancer, with those cells going on to become the first human cells to be cloned successfully. The cells, called HeLa cells for Henrietta Lacks, reproduced infinitely ever since. They became a cornerstone of modern medicine, and have enabled countless scientific and medical innovations including in the development of the polio vaccine, genetic mapping and even Covid vaccines. But despite Henrietta's invaluable, though not consented to, contribution to science and healthcare, the Lacks family have never been compensated. Until now, that is. Lawyers for her family argued that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., of Waltham, Massachusetts, continued to commercialise the results well after the origins of HeLa cells became known. In their lawsuit, filed in 2021, the family argued that the company had unjustly enriched itself off Henrietta's cells. The settlement came after closed-door negotiations that lasted all day on Monday, July 31, inside the federal courthouse in Baltimore. Among family members who attended the talks were some of Henrietta's grandchildren. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents the family, announced the settlement late on Monday. He said the terms of the deal are confidential. "The parties are pleased that they were able to find a way to resolve this matter outside of Court and will have no further comment about the sett){kind=link}
More than 70 years since cells were taken from Henrietta Lacks without her consent, which would turn into HeLa cells, the family of the ‘mother of modern medicine’ has settled their lawsuit with a BioTech firm
Relatives of the woman who became known as the ‘mum of modern medicine’ thanks to her ‘immortal’ cells have reached a settlement with the multi-billion-dollar biotechnology company accused of stealing her cells decades ago.
More than 70 years ago, in 1951, doctors at John Hopkins Hospital took cervical cells from Henrietta Lacks without her knowledge. Tissue was taken from the Black woman’s tumour before she died of cervical cancer, with those cells going on to become the first human cells to be cloned successfully.
The cells, called HeLa cells for Henrietta Lacks, reproduced infinitely ever since. They became a cornerstone of modern medicine, and have enabled countless scientific and medical innovations including in the development of the polio vaccine, genetic mapping and even Covid vaccines.
But despite Henrietta’s invaluable, though not consented to, contribution to science and healthcare, the Lacks family have never been compensated. Until now, that is.