Henrietta Lacks' family settles with Novartis over immortal cells
Henrietta Lacks' family settles with Novartis over immortal cells
Henrietta Lacks' estate settles with Novartis over profits from HeLa cells, highlighting ongoing debates about consent and sharing in biotech.
In a continuing legal saga surrounding Henrietta Lacks, the estate has reached a settlement with Novartis in a Maryland lawsuit accusing the company of profiting from HeLa cells taken from Lacks in 1951 without her knowledge.
This settlement makes Novartis the second biotech firm to settle such claims after Thermo Fisher, with terms not disclosed.
HeLa cells, derived from Lacks's cervical tumor at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, have enabled breakthroughs from the polio vaccine to cancer and HIV research.
Lacks, a Baltimore mother who died at 31, has remained a central symbol in debates about consent and the rights of patients whose tissues are used for research.
The family has long argued that they did not benefit from the research that sprang from her cells and seeks recognition and fair compensation.
Experts say the case spotlights the ethics of consent, benefit-sharing, and the evolving policies around biobanking.
While the terms of the agreement remain confidential, the settlement signals a shift toward more attention to patients and their families in the biotech industry.
