A new issue has come to the fore and it is regarding the artificial creation of human sperm in the laboratory. It has been alleged by a group of scientists in Newcastle and as per them, this epochal event is the first in the globe. Nevertheless, there are detractors as well and lots of scientists belonging to this group are skeptical of the entire development. Though the researchers state that the work could eventually help men with fertility problems to father a child, many researchers are not convinced of the success yet.
The Newcastle group has already written of the development in leading journals like Stem Cells and Development and also said it will be at least five years before the technique is perfected. They do reiterate the fact that the sperm were fully mature, mobile sperm and they have produced a video to back up the research.
Speaking on this Professor Karim Nayernia at Newcastle University and the NorthEast England Stem Cell Institute says: "This is an important development as it will allow researchers to study in detail how sperm forms and lead to a better understanding of infertility in men – why it happens and what is causing it.” "This understanding could help us develop new ways to help couples suffering infertility so they can have a child which is genetically their own.” "It will also allow scientists to study how cells involved in reproduction are affected by toxins, for example, why young boys with leukaemia who undergo chemotherapy can become infertile for life – and possibly lead us to a solution."
However Dr Allan Pacey, a sperm biologist at the University of Sheffield, said he was not convinced the sperm were fully developed. He said, "The quality of the images is not of sufficiently high resolution and I would need more data. They are early sperm, but functional tests would be needed to know exactly what has been achieved." The sperm cannot be used for fertility treatment as this is prohibited under UK law. The scientists in Newcastle say it will be at least five years before the technique is perfected – when they believe it should be available to help infertile men.
Josephine Quintavalle from Comment on Reproductive Ethics (Corethics) said: "This is an example of immoral madness. Perfectly viable human embryos have been destroyed in order to create sperm over which there will be huge questions of their healthiness and viability.” "It's taking one life in order to perhaps create another. I'm very much in favor of curing infertility but I don't think you can do whatever you like."
But John Harris, Professor of Bioethics at the University of Manchester, said: "I don't see any problems with the use of synthetic, or laboratory produced sperm.
Confusion persists therefore.
