BBC News Updated every minute of every day

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 11:16 GMT 12:16 UK

What about the emotional & medical needs of the CHILDREN born using such sperm? There would be no medical history information to aid diagnosis & treatment of issues, as one of their biological parents NEVER LIVED.
How might it feel to know your existence is valued by society, purely as proof of technological advancement? To deny a child the life of their biological father (whether he was known or not), is selfish.

Angela, Norwich

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 10:34 GMT 11:34 UK

I'd not be too worried about males becoming redundant - we'll still be needed to fix things, deal with spiders and read maps.

Jason Morris, Awaiting moderation, United Kingdom

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 10:12 GMT 11:12 UK

Apart from ethics of destroying viable human embryos I have to ask the question, how is this sperm going to help? The sperm will still not be biologically related to the father! This is no more help for infertile couples than selected doners.

Besides if people actually realised that families grow on love not biology maybe they'll be less problems in the world.

Even IF this could work, we are one step away from eugenics, and remember what happened last time we tried that!?

Charlie

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 10:11 GMT 11:11 UK

If you cannot reproduce, then that is the natural order of things - to perpetuate these genes through to the next generations is actually against the natural way and a mistake generally for mankind.

If you wish to help children or be involved then there are may other ways - Adopt / Foster / run a Scout group !

For fertility treatment to be on the NHS is also an anathema. The NHS is there to ease pain and suffering by cure or care of those already in this world.

Jimmy Coggins, United Kingdom

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 10:00 GMT 11:00 UK

Tongue in cheek comment before I am flooded with responses - If this is true it could lead to a "society" without men!! In a "mans world" I can't see that EVER being allowed to happen. So the first step is denying it has....!

[bluegal1970], Wigan, United Kingdom

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 09:53 GMT 10:53 UK

Why do scientists have an obsession with creating and modifying life - evolution ahs done fine for the past billions of years.
If the human race declines then this is the natural way fo things.
We need to stop interfering with nature at such a base level.
The scientists have no idea of the long term effects they only look at short termm glory and short term financial gains.
We must leave nature alopne and let the human race evolve or become extinct.

John Anson, Camelford, United Kingdom

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 09:47 GMT 10:47 UK

To the person who talked about mini 'borg' running around.

First off, they'll still be a human.

Second, this is a huge breakthrough regardless of whether it's used to create children. Scientists can use this to fully understand just how cells work; how we can cure diseases, and so on.

Alex Bakke, Newbury

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 09:42 GMT 10:42 UK

If it’s a “basic human right to be able to reproduce” then is it a basic human right to have an IQ of 170? Of course not, we’d all like it but some don’t. This “basic human right” attitude is a statement mainly on consumerism where I want it = I have a right to have it. If all the money put into this research to “help men” had been put into research into prostate and testicular cancer then a lot more men might really have been helped to a basic human right – to life.

Peter Cook, Bristol

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 09:37 GMT 10:37 UK

Do you think they could create a really big one so we can see what they look like close up?

The Wardster, Ipswich, United Kingdom

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 09:36 GMT 10:36 UK

Does no one think that low sperm counts are just natures way of saying there are too many of us already!!

Gary Bruce, Bampton, United Kingdom

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 09:34 GMT 10:34 UK

Fortunately this country isn't controlled by religious nuts so we can persue great science.

Barnabas, UK

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 09:32 GMT 10:32 UK

It's great to have the technology, but it should not be used and to those who think that "it's a basic human right" to be able to reproduce" - what utter nonsense! Can I please reproduce with your wife - it's my right!

We need to reduce the population and not increase it.

Gareth Mangnall, Bolton

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 09:30 GMT 10:30 UK

People go on about 'Human rights' and all that, but over population is a dangerous and scary concept, which is already happening on a massive scale.

Unless we reproduce sensitivley, then all we are doing is leaving a huge problem behind for our children. THEY will have to deal with the problems we create, not us. Handy, isn't it?

I'm not saying people need to stop having kids - but we need to be careful how many couples have, and we need to worry about the future of the planet.

[Anaiya], Ebbw Vale, Wales, United Kingdom

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 09:26 GMT 10:26 UK

No, I don't like the sound of this development at all. Why are we so hell bent on interfering with the laws of nature and risking the ultimate self-destruction of the human race?

[akaRicardoS], Epping, United Kingdom

Added: Thursday, 9 July, 2009, 09:25 GMT 10:25 UK

"Scientists claim to have created...; "...the creation of..."; "... have been created...". So Newton was wrong all along! Who'd have guessed?

Jean Manuforti, London