In the early 1990s, American scientists began researching and were successful in pre-implantation genetic diagnosis of human embryos. The research aims to avoid abortions during the pre-antenatal examining period through the early discovery of foetuses with malformations.

This technique has been applied widely in the world, including Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

There are around 300-disease related genes that can be detected by pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis to discover thalassemia disease is promising in Vietnam.

In early 2009, the project was approved by the HCM City Science and Technology Department. This is a municipal scientific project conducted by scientists of the HCM City Medical and Pharmaceutical University, HOSREM and the Van Hanh Hospital.