Henrietta Lacks: The Origins and Impact of Her Cells
Henrietta Lacks was an African American woman whose story is intimately tied to the world of medical research and the development of HeLa cells, which have played a crucial role in advancing scientific knowledge and medical treatments. It is important that her story continues to be told so that we know from whom these cells came, without her knowledge, consent, or credit. Tragically, Henrietta lost her battle with cervical cancer on October 4, 1951 at the age of 31. And there is so much more to her story. Henrietta Lacks loved to cook — spaghetti was a favourite — and she loved to dance, often with one of her five children in her arms. She dressed stylishly and wore red nail polish. She was the emotional and psychological centre of a home where the extended family gathered and where the door was always open to anyone in need.
In January 1951, Henrietta Lacks arrived at John Hopkins Hospital to seek treatment for vaginal bleeding and a painful lump on her cervix. Dr. Howard Jones, a promiment gynecologist at the hospital diagnosed her with cervical cancer. During her treatment at the hospital, a tissue sample was taken from her cervix without her knowledge or consent. This sample was given to Dr. George Grey, a prominent cancer and virus researcher at the hospital. Dr. Grey had been working to establish a line of “immortal” cells for research purposes and had been collecting cells from all patients who came to John Hopkins Hospital with cervical cancer. All other samples before Henrietta Lacks quickly died in Dr. Grey’s lab. However, Henrietta’s cells survived and began reproducing – they were the “immortal” cells that Dr. Grey had been searching for in his research. Where the other cells would die, Henrietta’s cells doubled every 20 to 24 hours.
Today, these incredible cells — nicknamed “HeLa” cells, from the first two letters of her first and last names — are used to study the effects of toxins, drugs, hormones and viruses on the growth of cancer cells without experimenting on humans. They have been used to test the effects of radiation and poisons, to study the human genome, to learn more about how viruses work, and played a crucial role in the development of the polio and COVID-19 vaccines.
Over time, HeLa cells evolved into a valuable worldwide scientific resource, resulting in significant financial gains for pharmaceutical companies and research organizations. However, Henrietta Lacks and her family were never compensated or acknowledged for her substantial contributions to the field of medical science. They had no knowledge that her cells had been taken or were being utilized in research.
In the early 1970s, the public became aware of Henrietta’s story when scientists began discussing the origin of HeLa cells. The Lacks family learned about Henrietta’s unintentional role in medical research and the commercialization of HeLa cells during a chance encounter with a researcher. Over the subsequent decades, the Lacks family encountered numerous ethical and legal challenges related to their rights and privacy. Eventually, they became involved in discussions regarding the use of HeLa cells in research and received recognition for Henrietta’s contributions. In 2013, an agreement was reached with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to grant the Lacks family some authority over how Henrietta’s genetic information was utilized in research and to acknowledge her legacy. Henrietta Lacks’ narrative has raised significant ethical inquiries concerning consent, privacy, and the commercialization of human tissues in medical research. Additionally, it has underscored the substantial contributions of African Americans to the field of medical science, often without their awareness or consent.
From Nature, “To her grandson Alfred Lacks Carter, the most important thing about HeLa cells is how they have advanced cancer research — a fitting tribute, given that Lacks died of the disease. Many people have also told him that they were able to conceive a child because of in vitro fertilization, which was developed with the help of HeLa cells. ‘They were taken in a bad way but they are doing good for the world,’ he says. ‘And they do so for people of all ethnicities.’”
Rebecca Skloot’s book, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” published in 2010, brought Henrietta’s story to a wider audience and sparked renewed interest in her life and the ethical issues surrounding her cells’ use in research. The book was later adapted into a television movie of the same name. You can find the links to the book, audiobook, and movie below.
Link to listen to the audiobook
We have also linked our sources below which you can access for free to learn more about Henrietta Lacks and her story.