Doctors at Niigata University's medical department are planning in December an in vitro fertilization initiative using the sperm of an HIV-positive man after removing the AIDS-causing virus, university officials said Tuesday.
Medical researchers say this will mark the first time for the procedure, designed to stem infection of the deadly disease to partners and babies, to be attempted.
According to Niigata University professor Kenichi Tanaka, the university will use a virus-removal method jointly developed by Ogikubo Hospital and Keio University, which are both located in Tokyo.
The method initially involves mixing semen and a solution known as percoll in a test tube. A centrifuge will then be used to separate the sperm, impurities, lymphocyte cells and virus, before the active sperm are tested for the virus.
Following these procedures at Ogikubo Hospital, the sperm will be frozen for delivery to Niigata University, where it will be matched with the wife's egg in vitro and placed into her uterus.
Italy has conducted a large number of artificial inseminations using the sperm of HIV-positive men. The planned experiment in Japan, however, is supposed to be safer in terms of stemming infection, the professor said.
"I believe clinically, it is certain that (the method) is safe," Tanaka said.
He added that the planned fertilization initiative will be part of the Health and Welfare Ministry's AIDS research program.
The plan was submitted in July to the university's ethics committee, which issued its approval in October, Tanaka said.
The Niigata University officials added that Keio University and other institutions have also obtained approval from their own ethics committees to conduct similar fertilization programs.
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