The storage fee at Guangdong Human Sperm Bank has been set at 5,000 yuan (US$600) for the first year and 1,000 yuan (US$120) annually after that, reports Information Times.

The first year's fee includes 3,300 yuan (US$397) for cryopreservation - the freezing process - and 1,700 yuan (US$205) for the medical examination.

The charges, which have been approved by the pricing and health departments, are in line with similar services available in Nanjing and Hong Kong, said Tang, a doctor at the facility.

The sperm bank is only open to cancer patients or men working in trades that expose them to high radiation risks.

The bank has been receiving enquiries about sperm storage almost daily since it was established in April.

But people should not mistake the service as a kind of "insurance against infertility". The bank does not guarantee successful insemination or a baby's health, Tang added.

According to the contract for services, sperm specimens will only be released while the client is living.

Some potential customers say the bank should take some responsibility if the preserved sperm is found unusable.

"The 5,000 yuan fee is not insignificant. The bank should at least compensate clients with around 2,000 yuan (US$240) (if insemination fails)," said Liu, a government employee.

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