Test-tube baby pair win suit

Press, 21 August 1978, Page 8

Test-tube baby pair win suit

I NZPA New York A Florida couple who had hoped to become the parents of the world’s first test-tube baby in 1973 have been awarded 5U550,003 damages by a jury.

The jury of four women and two men deliberated for more than 11 hours before ( reaching the verdict — SUSSO,OOO for Doris Del Zio, and SUS 3 for her husband, John.

The couple — who had filed a SUSI.SM suit — had also named the Presbyterian Medical Centre’s chief gynaecologist, Dr Raymond Vande Wiele, as a defendant, but the jury did not find him personally liable for damages.

The medical centre will appeal. The Del Zios charged that Dr Vande Wiele’s decision to halt the experiment five years ago had' caused Mrs Del Zio psychological damage and resulted from Dr | Vande Wiele’s professional i jealousy of the couple’s gyInaecologist, Dr Landrum ! Shettles, who supervised the I test-tube conception. • Dr Vande Wiele had contended that Dr Shettles did | not get approval for the ex- ; perinient from the hospital’s ; committee for human experimentation. He also said I the move was unethical.

During the trial a British I housewife, Lesley Brown ■ gave birth to the first baby; conceived in a test tube,i prompting Mrs Del Zio to! remark: “It proves we were I right and that the procedure I could have worked for me; and given me a baby, too.” Dr Vande Wiele said at: the week-end: “The verdict I is a very distressing one, in I fact, a dangerous one, in! that it disregards the most i basic medical and scientific! standards.

“It (the verdict) says that, researchers and physicians I are no longer accountable or I required to submit their work to review by their col-; leagues or the public,” Dr Vande Wiele said. —