The family of Henrietta Lacks is suing a second biotechnology company that profited from HeLa cells.
The cell line known as HeLa was derived from a biopsy of Lacks' cervical tumour, obtained without her knowledge or consent during treatment for cancer, of which she died in 1951. The Lacks estate claims that California-based Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical mass-produced and sold HeLa cells with the knowledge that those cells had been taken without Lacks' consent.
Court documents filed in Baltimore, Maryland claim that: 'Despite their awareness of the origins of the HeLa cell line, Ultragenyx made a decision to use Henrietta Lacks's genetic material for their own profit. Ultragenyx began developing and mass-producing HeLa cells for commercial research and therapeutic use, reaping huge profits that would never have been possible without Henrietta Lacks's cells. Ultragenyx never sought or received permission from the Estate of Henrietta Lacks to do so.'
The estate is suing for unjust enrichment and has asked to be awarded the money Ultragenyx earned from the commercialisation of HeLa cells. They also request that the company be blocked from continuing to use the cells without permission.
The Lacks estate settled a similar claim against biotechnology company Thermo Fisher earlier this month (see BioNews 1201).
HeLa cells were the first human cells to be able to grow and reproduce outside of the body, becoming known as 'immortal' cells. Their use has been central to the development many scientific and medical innovations, including the polio vaccine, genetic mapping, and the coronavirus vaccine.
Lawyer Ben Crump, representing the Lacks family said: 'Ultragenyx's choice to continue utilising HeLa cells despite the cell line's origin and the concrete harm it inflicts on the Lacks family can only be understood as a choice to embrace a legacy of racial injustice embedded in the U.S. research and medical systems'.
Sources and References
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Henrietta Lacks' family sues Ultragenyx over use of HeLa cell line
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Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump Files Lawsuit on Behalf of Estate of Henrietta Lacks
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Family of Henrietta Lacks files new lawsuit over cells harvested without her consent
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Henrietta Lacks family files suit against another pharmaceutical company
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Henrietta Lacks' family files 2nd lawsuit over harvesting of her cells
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Henrietta Lacks' family sues Ultragenyx for profiting off 'HeLa cells' without permission
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