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Coverage dated October 12, 2021 to October 13, 2021

Henrietta Lacks, Black woman whose "immortal" cell line changed medicine, honored by World Health Organization

Headline from CBS News

While Lacks was undergoing cancer treatment, researchers took biopsies from her body without her consent. Those cells allowed for "incalculable scientific breakthroughs" related to HPV, polio, HIV, and COVID-19.

CBS News's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

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Reports & sources

11 articles, oldest first.

  1. MyNorthwest

    WHO honors Henrietta Lacks, woman whose cells served science (opens MyNorthwest)

    Published

    MyNorthwest's feed description

    GENEVA (AP) -- The chief of the World Health Organization on Wednesday honored the late Henrietta Lacks, an American woman whose cancer cells were taken

  2. Boston

    WHO honors Henrietta Lacks, a Black woman whose cells, taken without consent, enabled countless medical breakthroughs (opens Boston)

    Published

    Boston's feed description

    WHO honors Henrietta Lacks, a Black woman whose cells, taken without consent, enabled countless medical breakthroughs.

  3. New York Times

    Henrietta Lacks, Whose Cells Were Taken Without Her Consent, Is Honored by W.H.O. (opens New York Times)

    Published

    New York Times's feed description

    In a ceremony in Geneva, the World Health Organization presented an award to the family of Ms. Lacks, whose cancer cells led to world-changing advances in medical and scientific research.

  4. The Hill

    WHO honors Henrietta Lacks, Black woman who became 'immortal' through cell line (opens The Hill)

    Published

    The Hill's feed description

    The World Health Organization (WHO) posthumously honored Henrietta Lacks on Wednesday, a woman whose cells were taken without her awareness and later contributed to major scientific milestones.

  5. CBS News

    Henrietta Lacks, Black woman whose "immortal" cell line changed medicine, honored by World Health Organization (opens CBS News)

    Published

    CBS News's feed description

    While Lacks was undergoing cancer treatment, researchers took biopsies from her body without her consent. Those cells allowed for "incalculable scientific breakthroughs" related to HPV, polio, HIV, and COVID-19.

  6. Al Jazeera

    WHO honours Henrietta Lacks, whose cells changed medicine (opens Al Jazeera)

    Published

    Al Jazeera's feed description

    Cancer cells from Lacks, a Black woman, provided breakthroughs from polio to HIV, but were taken without her knowledge.

  7. Deutsche Welle

    WHO honors Henrietta Lacks, 'mother' of modern medicine | DW (opens Deutsche Welle)

    Published

    Deutsche Welle's feed description

    The WHO chief said that she had been exploited and "misused by science." Lacks' cells, which were taken without her consent, are credited with making possible a number of major medical innovations.

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.

Henrietta Lacks, Black woman whose "immortal" cell line changed medicine, honored by World Health Organization | Since Then