British scientist Robert Edwards, who helped revolutionise the treatment of human infertility, has won the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, the Nobel Assembly at Sweden's Karolinska Institute in Stockholm has announced.
Edwards, 85, won the prestigious prize for his work on in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), which has helped millions of infertile couples to have a child.
"His contributions represent a milestone in the development of modern medicine," the Nobel Assembly at the Swedish Karolinska Institute said. "His achievements have made it possible to treat infertility, a medical condition afflicting a large proportion of humanity including more than 10 percent of all couples worldwide," it added.
Edwards pioneered a field that has touched millions of lives, as infertility afflicts more than 3.5 percent of the world population. He and his colleague Patrick Steptoe, who died in 1988, marched forward against tremendous opposition from churches, governments, and the media, as well as intense ssepticism from scientific colleagues. It was as a result of their efforts, well over 4 million babies have been born to parents who otherwise would have failed to conceive children. The birth of Louise Brown, the first "test tube baby" in July 1978 heralded the beginning of a new field of medicine.
In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a method of assisted reproduction that involves combining an egg with sperm in a laboratory dish. If the egg fertilizes and begins cell division, the resulting embryo is transferred into the woman's womb where it will hopefully implant in the uterine lining and develop.
The committee announced, "Approximately four million individuals have been born thanks to IVF. Louise Brown and several other IVF children have given birth to children themselves; this is probably the best evidence for the safety and success of IVF therapy. Today, Robert Edwards' vision is a reality and brings joy to infertile people all over the world."
