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Nature 454, 280-281 (17 July 2008) | doi:10.1038/454280a; Published online 16 July 2008

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30 years: from IVF to stem cells

Ruth Deech1

  1. Ruth Deech is an independent member of the House of Lords and co-author of From IVF to Immortality: Controversy in the Era of Reproductive Technology.

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Ruth Deech, former chair of Britain's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, reflects on how the science that gave an infertile couple a baby has been extended to saving lives.

When Louise Brown was born of the first successful in vitro fertilization (IVF) in 1978, the reaction was intense and mixed. Some 5,000 couples immediately signed up for the same treatment, while the Catholic Church promptly objected, drawing battle lines that are still evident today.

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