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On August 5, 2024, the family of Henrietta Lacks, represented by Seeger Weiss partners Chris Seeger and Chris Ayers, alongside nationally renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump, filed a lawsuit against Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation and Novartis Gene Therapies Inc. (“Novartis”), as well as Viatris Inc. and its subsidiary Mylan Pharmaceuticals, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.
In 1951, Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with cervical cancer in a racially segregated ward at Johns Hopkins Hospital. During her treatment, tissue samples were surgically extracted from her body without her knowledge or consent. These stolen cells were cultivated into the first immortal cell line, known as HeLa cells, which have been instrumental in numerous pioneering medical discoveries, from the gene mapping to in vitro fertilization and the COVID-19 vaccine.
Novartis and Viatris are among the corporations that have profited from her cells, while Mrs. Lacks and her family have never received any compensation. Both companies continue to exploit her cells without permission or consent from the Lacks family.
“The world now knows the story of Henrietta Lacks, which makes it all the more shocking, though not surprising, that pharmaceutical giants Novartis and Viatris continue to profit off the deeply unethical origins of HeLa cells and the disturbing history of medical racism,” said Chris Seeger. “Representing the Lacks family and preserving Mrs. Lacks’s legacy is one of the greatest honors of my career. We pledge to hold these companies accountable for exploiting her stolen cells.”
This lawsuit filing follows a pivotal ruling in May, when a federal court allowed the Lacks family to proceed with their lawsuit against Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc., another company that profited from Mrs. Lacks’ cells without her knowledge or consent.