IVF, Nobel Prize and the Indian ”lost opportunity”.

The news about Nobel Prize for Medicine to Prof. Robert Edwards for his ground-breaking research with his colleague, late Dr. Patrick Steptoe on In vitro fertilization (IVF) was one of the main news this week. See Chemical & Engineering News.

Their pioneering research led to the birth of the world’s first ‘IVF baby’ Marie Louise Brown July 25, 1978. and it is estimated that  four million babies have been born worldwide using the techniques they developed.  They together founded the Bourn Hall Clinic, the world’s first IVF centre at Cambridge.

But an interesting story appeared  in Times of India that  an Indian doctor from West Bengal Dr. Subhash Mukhopadhyay, had almost done with the IVF technology when the first IVF baby was born in UK. The report says that hardly two months after the birth of first IVF baby,  on October 3, 1978 India had its own IVG baby – Durga alias Kanupriya Agarwal. Unfortunately he faced an inquiry by the West Bengal Government in December 1978 and he committed suicide on June 19, 1981.

As the news of Nobel Prize to Prof. Edward spread, doctors and scientists across the country mourned his death and many urged the centre to correct a historical error by honouring him.  This reminds me of a quote by Shiv Khera in one of his book, ”Opportunities are easier recognized when they are leaving rather than when they are coming”.

The paper reports that Prof. Robert  and his colleague had advantage over Dr. Mukhopadhyay in two ways. First, Prof. Edward was 67 days ahead of him. Second, the Indian doctor did not document his work. This was considered to be fatal in not recognizing his achievement.

And we Indians lament over ”lost opportunity”  after 30  years of Dr. Mukhopadhyay’s death !!

The complete report on  the ”lost opportunity”.