Henrietta Lacks and HeLa Cells (1951)

Cells from Henrietta Lacks's cervical cancer were taken without her knowledge or consent at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1951 and became the first "immortal" human cell line — HeLa cells. They have been used in over 75,000 studies, contributed to the polio vaccine, cancer research, and COVID-19 treatments, and generated billions in commercial value. The Lacks family received nothing for decades and didn't even know the cells existed until 1975. The case reshaped consent laws and bioethics.