Family of medical heroine and scientists reach deal

The family of an African American tobacco farmer whose cancer cells were harvested without her knowledge and consent have agreed to support scientific research. Scientists harvested the cancer cells more than 62 years ago from Henrietta Lacks before she died and used them without her knowledge. This led to breakthroughs such as the polio vaccine, cloning, and invitro fertilization, among others. The cells harvested from Lacks are called HeLa, after the first letters of her first and last names. A rmember of the Lacks family said they are proud of what HeLa cells have done for science.

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