The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks lawsuits gets a bit shorter with Novartis settlement

Novartis has settled a lawsuit by the estate of Henrietta Lacks that alleged the pharmaceutical giant unjustly profited off her cells, which were taken from her tumor without her knowledge in 1951 and reproduced in labs to enable major medical advancements, including the polio vaccine.

Details of the agreement, which was finalized in federal court in Maryland this month, aren’t public.

The Lacks family and Swiss-based Novartis said in a joint statement that they are “pleased...