HeLa Cell Line Genome Data To Be Published

ananyo writes "Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, has brokered a deal with the family of Henrietta Lacks to release the genetic sequence of the HeLa cell line to researchers. The HeLa cell line was established in 1951 from a biopsy of a cervical tumour taken from Henrietta Lacks, a working-class African-American woman living near Baltimore. The cells were taken without the knowledge or permission of her or her family, and they became the first human cells to grow well in a lab. They contributed to the development of a polio vaccine, the discovery of human telomerase and countless other advances. Controversy erupted earlier this year after researchers published the sequence without the permission of the Lacks family. In a Q&A with the journal Nature, Collins explains how the deal was reached."

Comments

It could have been anyone's cells

[Rude Turnip]

They just happened to be Henrietta's. The real stars here are the people who conducted the research and actually did the work.

I mean, if someone used my cells to do something incredible for science, I don't feel like I am particularly deserving of any credit. Those cells have nothing to do with me as a person or my actions.

Re:It could have been anyone's cells

[interkin3tic]

The privacy concerns are more of a valid issue though. I wouldn't want anyone publishing my parent's genomes, even if they did get my parents' permissions first. Part of that is my genome, so necessarily, part of my DNA would be published with the family name on it.

Re:It could have been anyone's cells

[UnknowingFool]

Yes but you can consent to them being used. Henrietta Lacks never gave consent. They were harvested from her and used for decades.

Re:It could have been anyone's cells

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes but you can consent to them being used. Henrietta Lacks never gave consent. They were harvested from her and used for decades.

Be realistic. How many people, prior to DNA becoming a mainstream concept, would ever have given even half a shit if the doctor wanted to use a chunk of TUMOR they had removed? Other than a small group of religious fanatics concerned about someone casting black spells on them with it... nobody, that's who.
It was the 50's, medical waste was just that- waste. Nobody cared about what you did with their body trimmings any more than they cared what you did with their fecal material and urine.

What right do they have?

[brillow]

Tissue samples taken from your body, are not your property.

Also, Ms. Lacks is long dead, why does anyone care what her family says about anything? They aren't their cells.

Re:What right do they have?

[UnknowingFool]

So I can come right over and extract tissue samples without your consent? Later I'm going to publish your genome and show the world all your genetic flaws and all the markers that show your risk to cancer. Don't want it published? Too bad. This would not be an issue if they asked and got her permission.

Re:What right do they have?

[UnknowingFool]

Are you suggesting that thats what they did in this case?

Suggesting it? Have you read up anything on this case? From wikipedia:

Neither Lacks nor her family gave her physician permission to harvest the cells. At that time, permission was neither required nor customarily sought. The cells were later commercialized. In the 1980s, family medical records were published without family consent. In March, 2013, German researchers published the DNA code, or genome, of a strain of HeLa cells without permission from the Lacks family

Since it isn't, nothing you say that relies on this tripe bullshit actually matters. They did not kidnap this woman, strap her down, and forcefully extract her blood without consent.

Please read up something on this case before spouting out BS yourself.

She consented. Nobody at all seems to think otherwise 'cept for you.

Please show me one source, one form where she consented to have tissue samples harvested from her for medical research. These days, I have to sign a crap load of documents just so that my insurance can share my name with third parties. Back then they just took what they wanted.