March 5 Forum At SUNY Downstate On Ethical Issues In Human Subjects Research Features Grandson Of Henrietta Lacks
By Office of Communications & Marketing | Mar 4, 2020
MEDIA CONTACT: John Gillespie | john.gillespie@downstate.edu | (718)270-2262
The use of her cells without her consent led to dozens of profitable medical breakthroughs, but no benefits for her family and decedents
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (March 4, 2020) 鈥� When 31-year-old Henrietta Lacks died of cervical cancer in 1951, scientists used the cells from her tumor as the foundation for medical advancesin cancer, AIDS, antiviral HIV drugs, and dozens of otherbreakthroughs. Of the millions, perhaps billions of dollars in profits generated for hundreds of companies, Henrietta Lacks鈥� family never saw a dime. Why?
Because Henrietta鈥檚 family never gave their consent, and were never informed, that
Henrietta鈥檚 cells, known now and forever as 鈥淗eLa鈥� cells, were being used in this way.
Sponsored by the John Conley Division of Medical Ethics & Humanities, and the SUNY
Downstate Department of Medicine鈥檚 Division of Gastroenterology, Henrietta Lacks鈥�grandson, Alfred Lacks Carter, Jr., will lead an open forum discussing how his grandmother鈥檚
story puts a laser focus on issues such as informed consent and bioethics, especially
as theyrelate to the exploitation of marginalized groups and people of color.
Ethical Issues in Human Subjects Research
An Open Forum with Alfred Lacks Carter Jr.
Thursday, March 5, 2020
4:00PM
Alumni Auditorium
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Alfred Lacks Carter, Jr., is a former Marine and President and CEO of Henrietta Lacks House of Healing, which offers transitional housing for disabled men and women suffering from substance abuse. He is highly active in his community, helping men transition back to their lives and families following incarceration. He was among the family members who consulted on the HBO film adaptation of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, produced by Oprah Winfrey and Alan Ball. He was also featured in the movie.
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Contact: Dawn S. Walker
917.439.9666 | 347.533.2071
dawn.walker@downstate.edu
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蘑菇视频 is the borough's only academic medical center for health education, research, and patient care. It is a 342-bed facility serving the healthcare needs of New York City and Brooklyn's 2.6 million residents. University Hospital of Brooklyn (UHB) is Downstate's teaching hospital, backed by an outstanding medical school's expertise and world-class academic center research facilities. More than 800 physicians, representing 53 specialties and subspecialties鈥攎any of them ranked as tops in their fields鈥攃omprise Downstate's staff.
In addition to high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis (kidney diseases)鈥攁nd offering the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn, among many other distinctive programs鈥擠ownstate also sponsors a major learning center for young children with developmental disorders and disabilities. In addition to UHB, Downstate comprises a College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, a School of Graduate Studies, a School of Public Health, and a multifaceted biotechnology initiative, including the Downstate Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT for early-stage and more mature companies, respectively. For more information, visit www.downstate.edu or follow us on Twitter at .