Reward For IVF Pioneer
British scientist Robert Edwards, the man who devised the fertility treatment IVF, has been awarded this year's Nobel prize for medicine. His efforts in the 1950s, 60s and 70s led to the birth of the world's first "test tube baby" in July 1978. Since then nearly four million babies have been born following IVF. The prize committee said his achievements had made it possible to treat infertility, a medical condition affecting 10% of all couples worldwide. Prof Edwards, 85, began his fundamental research over 50 years ago. He soon realised that fertilisation outside the body could represent a possible treatment of infertility.
Other scientists had shown that egg cells from rabbits could be fertilised in test tubes when sperm was added, giving rise to offspring. Prof Edwards went on to refine this technique for humans together with Patrick Steptoe, who died in 1988.
Their success means that today, the probability of an infertile couple taking home a baby after a cycle of IVF today is one in five; about the same that healthy couples have of conceiving naturally. The pair faced numerous challenges in their quest, including opposition from churches and governments, as well as scepticism from scientific colleagues.
They also had trouble raising money for their work, and had to rely on privately donated funds. But they went on to develop "a milestone of modern medicine", said the Nobel Assembly at Sweden's Karolinska Institute, which awarded the prize.
Although Prof Edwards has received the prize for his pivotal work on IVF, his research has also been of major importance in both established and emerging techniques, such as embryo screening and stem cell experimentation.
The Manchester-born scientist undertook postgraduate, then post doctoral, research at the Institute of Animal Genetics at Edinburgh University from 1951-57. He said: "Edinburgh is where it all started - everything was in my head, but not on paper, by the time I left."
The first IVF baby, Louise Brown, who is now 32, said: "Its fantastic news. Me and mum are so glad that one of the pioneers of IVF has been given the recognition he deserves. "We hold Bob in great affection and are delighted to send our personal congratulations to him and his family at this time."
He recalled the thrill of relaying this to a seriously ill Dr Steptoe, shortly before Dr Steptoe's death. ''I'll never forget the look of joy in his eyes,'' Prof Edwards said. "No-one deserves this award more, and we congratulate him."
However, Prof Edwards recalled that he got back on the straight and narrow by winning a place to study genetics at Edinburgh University - and loved every minute.
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