Summary
Novartis has settled a lawsuit with the estate of Henrietta Lacks, whose cells were used without her knowledge in 1951 and have contributed to significant medical advancements. The details of the settlement are not public, and this follows another settlement the estate reached with a biotechnology company in 2023. Other lawsuits by the Lacks estate remain active.
Key Facts
- Novartis settled a lawsuit with Henrietta Lacks' estate regarding the use of her cells.
- Henrietta Lacks' cells, known as HeLa cells, were taken without her knowledge in 1951.
- Her cells have been crucial for medical research, including the polio vaccine and COVID-19 vaccines.
- The Lacks family was not compensated for the use of these cells.
- The specific terms of the Novartis settlement are not public.
- This is the second recent settlement involving the Lacks estate, the first being with Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2023.
- Additional lawsuits by the Lacks estate against companies like Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical and Viatris are still ongoing.
