Lawsuit names Novartis Pharmaceuticals as defendant, alleges unjust enrichment
BALTIMORE, Md. –– Renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump and attorney Christopher Seeger of Seeger Weiss announced today that they have filed a lawsuit on behalf of the family of Henrietta Lacks against Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novartis Gene Therapies Inc., Viatris Inc., and Mylan Pharmaceuticals. The lawsuit seeks justice for the unauthorized commercialization of Henrietta Lacks’s cells, known as the HeLa cell line, which have been used extensively in medical research and drug development without her or her family’s consent.
Henrietta Lacks, a Black woman, grandmother, and community leader, was treated for cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the early 1950s. During a surgical procedure, tissue samples were taken from her cervix without her knowledge or consent. These cells exhibited unique properties, allowing them to reproduce indefinitely in laboratory conditions, leading to the creation of the first immortalized human cell line.
“Henrietta Lacks’s cells have fueled countless medical breakthroughs, from the development of the polio vaccine to advancements in gene mapping and in vitro fertilization,” said Chris Seeger. “Yet, despite the monumental impact of HeLa cells on medical science, Mrs. Lacks’s family has had to fight for compensation and acknowledgment for their profound contribution.”
The lawsuit highlights the conscious choices made by Novartis and Viatris to commercialize the HeLa cell line, generating substantial profits while being fully aware of the unethical origins of the cells. Novartis has acknowledged the story of Henrietta Lacks on its website, yet continues to benefit from the use of her genetic material without seeking permission or providing compensation to her estate. Similarly, Viatris and its subsidiary Mylan Pharmaceuticals have heavily relied on HeLa cells for drug development, accelerating their research and increasing their profitability.
“Medical research has a long, troubled history of exploiting Black individuals, and Henrietta Lacks’s story is a stark reminder of this legacy,” Crump added. “It is time for these corporations to be held accountable for their unjust enrichment and to provide the Lacks family with the recognition and compensation they deserve.”
The lawsuit brings a single cause of action for unjust enrichment, asserting that the defendants’ continued use and commercialization of HeLa cells are inequitable without payment or permission from the Lacks family. It calls for the profits derived from the use of these cells to be rightfully transferred to the estate of Henrietta Lacks.
“Black people have the right to control their bodies and their genetic material,” Crump stated. “The exploitation of Henrietta Lacks’s cells must be acknowledged, and justice must be served for her family. We will fight tirelessly to ensure that her legacy is honored and that her family receives the compensation they are owed.”
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ABOUT BEN CRUMP LAW
Through his work, nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has spearheaded a legal movement to better protect the rights of marginalized citizens. He has led landscape-changing civil rights cases and represented clients in a wide range of areas including civil rights, personal injury, labor and employment, class actions, and more. Ben Crump Law is dedicated to holding the powerful accountable. For more information, visit www.bencrump.com.
ABOUT SEEGER WEISS
With offices in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts, Seeger Weiss is one of the nation’s preeminent trial law firms, with an established track record of helping lead some of the most complex and important cases and securing landmark verdicts and settlements including the $14.7 billion settlement in the Volkswagen emissions case, the billion-plus NFL concussion settlement, the $4.85 billion Vioxx settlement, and the $1.5 billion settlement with Syngenta. For more information, visit seegerweiss.com.
