Page 26 - ELITE PLUS MAGAZINE Vol 3

HUMAN AGENDA|The Book to Read on the Baby BusinessThe book is very accessible to both medical and non-medical readersWhen Dr Poonsak Waikwamdee visited a friend at Harvard University five years ago, he came across a book called The Baby Business: How Money, Science and Politics Drive the Commerce of Conception, by Debora L Spar. The book, a best-seller that stirred much public debate in the US, was enthralling.“Two words in the title, ‘Baby’ and ‘Business’, capture the essence of the problem,” he said. “When the words come together, problems ensue.” As a practitioner of assisted reproductive technology, Dr Poonsak has read a number of books on reproductive medicine but he was caught by this book. “Most books in this field are academic. But this one is like reportage: non-fiction and non- judgemental.”The author was inspired to write the book during the ordeal of trying to adopt a third child (after giving birth to the first two naturally). The experience drove her to research the policies, regulationsand businesses related to ART, such as in-vitro fertilization.The book presents surrogacy through a socioeconomic lens. Professor Spar, at the time engaged at Harvard Business School, looked at the baby business in the US and found ART to be a US$3 billion business, with the cost of IVF reaching $600,000. The writer also broached other social and cultural aspects, such as the history of infertility, cloning, the origins of surrogacy, facts about adoption and the use of science to create better or more desirable babies.Dr Poonsak was gripped by the book and wanted other Thais to have the opportunity to read it. He spent one year translating the book, published by Praphansarn Publishing in March 2011.The book is very accessible to both medical and non-medical readers.24 Elite+