Twenty-four years later, in 1974, the United States Congress passed the National Research Act (NRA), which led to the publication of the Belmont Report (a foundational document in biomedical research ethics) and the development of legal protections for human research participants engaging in federally funded research (The National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research, 1979; The Office for Human Research Protection, 1991). The Common Rule requires that researchers obtain informed consent to use the identifiable research samples and data of patients and research participants, or else that they de-identify the samples before sharing them. The Belmont report requires that investigators respect participants in research and treat them in an ethical manner by honoring their autonomous decisions, protecting them from harm, and treating them justly and fairly. Today, it is clear that investigators operating during Lacks' life time lacked clear guidance on these principles. Members of the public and research community, for instance, have pointed to disrespect for Lacks' private life and autonomy, and the unjust enrichment of investigators who have benefited from their research on the HeLa
