The family of Henrietta Lacks , also known as "The Mother of Modern Medicine," is taking legal action against pharmaceutical companies for using her cells without permission. “The pharmaceutical corporations unethically and some may say illegally took her cells, her miraculous cells without her knowledge nor permission and they have manipulated her genetic material to this day,” civil rights attorney Ben Crump , who is representing the family, said , CBS Baltimore reported. “Her family is here today to start the journey to right that wrong.” In 1951, Lacks arrived at Johns Hopkins Hospital with complaints of vaginal bleeding. After examination, a gynecologist found a large, malignant tumor on the 31-year-old’s cervix, leading her to undergo cancer treatments. Following a biopsy, a sample of Lacks' cancer cells were sent to Dr. George Gey’s tissue lab where he discovered Lacks’ cancer cells were unique. Gey discovered her cells could grow and duplicate every 20 to 24 hours, while...
