Human head transplants not distant, scientist says

Advanced technology raises a host of ethical issues, including the future identities of patients

It will take at least two years before the first human head transplant surgery in history can take place, but the day is coming, a leading Chinese transplant scientist said on Tuesday.

"It is impossible to give an exact date as the conditions are not yet ready for clinical trials for the operation," said Ren Xiaoping, a professor at Harbin Medical University in Heilongjiang province, a major participant in the project.