Magazine article on Henrietta Lacks’ cancer cells; Jet 1979
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Henrietta Lacks (1920-1951) was an African American woman, who worked as a tobacco farmer, and was discovered to have “immortal” cells - they could withstand life outside of the body and reproduce themselves. Her cells were later known as the source of the HeLa cell line, used extensively for cancer research and becoming invaluable for medical research. However, these cells were taken and used without permission from Lacks or her family, causing legal battles later over patient rights, despite the benefits of these cells on research.
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