Fact# 5857: Henrietta Lacks died in 1951. The tumor that killed her has been alive and growing to this day. The tumor is immortal and was used to progress the Polio vaccine and is the jumping point for most human cell research to this day. Scientists have grown some 20 tons of her cells.
They forgot the part where they took the cells and grew them without her consent.
They also forgot the part where to this day her family and still-living descendants have not received any compensation for the use of her stolen cells.
They also also forgot the part where she was Black.
They also forgot the part where her family has been hounded for their own genetic material.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is an awesome book that takes a hard look at informed consent.
They also forgot the part where her descendants didn’t have medical insurance (nay have changed with recent healthcare law)
Henrietta Lacks is perhaps one of the most important people and stories of the twentieth century.
They also forgot the part where she was buried in an unmarked grave until 2010 because her family couldn’t afford a headstone.