Chinese scientists indicated that they would commence a gender selection experiment on human in the second half of this year.

The world's first test-tube buffalos were recently born through X-bearing and Y-bearing sperm cell separation headed by Prof. Lu Kehuan, "father of test-tube twin calves," at the Guangxi Buffalo Research Institute affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. A cross-bred mother buffalo gave birth to twin female calves that were produced through gender selection by separating X-bearing and Y-bearing sperm cells, indicating that the gender of buffalos can be artificially selected.

Lu revealed to the media that he plans to commence the experiment of separating human X-bearing and Y-bearing sperm cells in the second half of this year. "Judging from tens of thousands of creatures born via sperm cell separation around the globe to date, scientists have detected little negative impact, and descendants of these creatures have reported no abnormal signs."

Lu said that the experiment of separating human X-bearing and Y-bearing sperm cells aims to treat diseases. Among currently known diseases, 370-odd are recessive diseases related to X chromosome, such as thalassanemia, hemophilia, muscular dystrophy and achromatopsia.

Lu added that gender selection might be unacceptable to Chinese in a short period and it would probably need ten years for them to take in the concept. Nonetheless, gender selection operations must be performed within legal boundary.

(Chinanews April 14, 2006)