UK: People donating sperm and eggs will no longer have right to remain anonymous

04-02-2005, 05:50 PM

Sperm donor anonymity right ends

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4397249.stm#

People donating sperm and eggs will no longer have the right to remain anonymous, under a new law coming into force April 1, 2005. Children conceived in this way will now be able to identify their genetic parents once they reach 18. The new rules will not be retrospective, so people who have already donated will not be affected.

But some experts are concerned that the removal of anonymity will deter donors from coming forward in the future. And the British Fertility Society has warned that couples who do want eggs or sperm from anonymous donors may choose to go to unlicensed "backstreet" clinics, or travel abroad to countries with less strict regulations.

Around 1/7 couples in the UK have fertility problems. An estimated 7,000 patients receive treatment with donated eggs and sperm, known as gametes, every year and, as a result, 2,000 children are born. Around 500 sperm donors and 1,500 egg donors are needed each year.

However, clinics say there are long waits for some infertile couples. One reported that a couple had been waiting 5 years for donated material. Other clinics have closed their waiting lists.

The change in the rules means that children conceived using donor eggs or sperm will be able to trace their biological parent in the same way as children who are adopted. While children will be able to access more information about the donor's genetic origins, they will have no financial or legal claim.

Because the law only applies to people who donate from April 1, 2005, the first time children born in this way will have the option to ask for the identity of their donor will be when they turn 18 in 2023. They will have to ask the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to release the information. The donor will not be able to trace a child.

Health minister Stephen Ladyman said: "We think it is right that donor conceived people should be able to have information should they want it about their genetic origins and that is why we have changed the law on donor anonymity."

To limit the possibility of a fall in the number of donors, the
Department of Health and the National Gamete Donation Trust (NGDT) has been running a campaign to raise awareness of donation. Laura Witjens, chair of the NGDT, said evidence from other countries, such as Sweden, which had already
removed anonymity rights, showed it was no longer young students who donated. "There is an initial fall. But then the profile changes. Instead of young single men who do not have children, it tends to be older men, who do have children and who see that what they are doing is creating a family, who come forward."

Dr Ruth Curzon, of the Assisted Conception Unit at Kings Hospital in London, said: "We are going to have to change the way in which we recruit donors. Sperm donation has been seen as 'smutty'. It's time we changed that."

But Dr Alan Pacey, of the British Fertility Society, warned: "There is now serious concern in many clinics about the future of infertility treatments using donated gametes. We have evidence that more and more patients are being denied treatment because of a shortage of donor gametes."

**BC-MAV** · 04-03-2005, 02:04 PM

Interesting. I think there should be some information about the donor of sperm and eggs ( for the couple and for the child) and even if people have this info can't the donor have the right to not talk to the person or meet them? Do you think this is gonna scare a lot of donors off? We have only done open egg donation, but I don't know how it is done routinely for sperm donation.

04-05-2005, 09:29 AM

Sperm donors are usually not identifiable here in the USA, but there are some identifiable donors at certain sperm banks. They are VERY popular and sell out quickly.

The idea of the sperm donor being identifiable is for the benefit of any children born. Like adopted kids who become adults, many (but not all) DI-conceived adults want to know who their bio dads are.

What laws in other countries often mandate is that when the child becomes an adult (age 18), IF that person wants to know who the donor is, s/he can. The donor doesn't have to have an ongoing relationship with the child, just be willing to meet once and/or have phone conversation or send a picture, whatever the child wants in that regard.

I'm sure that initially there will be less donors. That has been the pattern in other countries like Sweden. But then gradually it increased and was as high as ever.

The only thing that concerns me is that our country (USA) has people who love to get a lawyer and sue someone and they might win even if they are in the wrong. THAT is what I think could scare sperm donors away, not having to perhaps meet a donor-conceived person. I hope they put some very strong unbreakable laws in place so that donors can feel confident that someone isn't showing up to sue their butts off!

Jen L.

04-02-2005, 05:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
nathanzmom Guest Posts: n/a	UK: People donating sperm and eggs will no longer have right to remain anonymous Sperm donor anonymity right ends http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4397249.stm# People donating sperm and eggs will no longer have the right to remain anonymous, under a new law coming into force April 1, 2005. Children conceived in this way will now be able to identify their genetic parents once they reach 18. The new rules will not be retrospective, so people who have already donated will not be affected. But some experts are concerned that the removal of anonymity will deter donors from coming forward in the future. And the British Fertility Society has warned that couples who do want eggs or sperm from anonymous donors may choose to go to unlicensed "backstreet" clinics, or travel abroad to countries with less strict regulations. Around 1/7 couples in the UK have fertility problems. An estimated 7,000 patients receive treatment with donated eggs and sperm, known as gametes, every year and, as a result, 2,000 children are born. Around 500 sperm donors and 1,500 egg donors are needed each year. However, clinics say there are long waits for some infertile couples. One reported that a couple had been waiting 5 years for donated material. Other clinics have closed their waiting lists. The change in the rules means that children conceived using donor eggs or sperm will be able to trace their biological parent in the same way as children who are adopted. While children will be able to access more information about the donor's genetic origins, they will have no financial or legal claim. Because the law only applies to people who donate from April 1, 2005, the first time children born in this way will have the option to ask for the identity of their donor will be when they turn 18 in 2023. They will have to ask the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to release the information. The donor will not be able to trace a child. Health minister Stephen Ladyman said: "We think it is right that donor conceived people should be able to have information should they want it about their genetic origins and that is why we have changed the law on donor anonymity." To limit the possibility of a fall in the number of donors, the Department of Health and the National Gamete Donation Trust (NGDT) has been running a campaign to raise awareness of donation. Laura Witjens, chair of the NGDT, said evidence from other countries, such as Sweden, which had already removed anonymity rights, showed it was no longer young students who donated. "There is an initial fall. But then the profile changes. Instead of young single men who do not have children, it tends to be older men, who do have children and who see that what they are doing is creating a family, who come forward." Dr Ruth Curzon, of the Assisted Conception Unit at Kings Hospital in London, said: "We are going to have to change the way in which we recruit donors. Sperm donation has been seen as 'smutty'. It's time we changed that." But Dr Alan Pacey, of the British Fertility Society, warned: "There is now serious concern in many clinics about the future of infertility treatments using donated gametes. We have evidence that more and more patients are being denied treatment because of a shortage of donor gametes."

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04-03-2005, 02:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
BC-MAV Board Coordinator for Surrogacy BB Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: way down yonder ... Posts: 29,652 Blog Entries: 50	Interesting. I think there should be some information about the donor of sperm and eggs ( for the couple and for the child) and even if people have this info can't the donor have the right to not talk to the person or meet them? Do you think this is gonna scare a lot of donors off? We have only done open egg donation, but I don't know how it is done routinely for sperm donation.

04-05-2005, 09:29 AM	#3 (permalink)
nathanzmom Guest Posts: n/a	Sperm donors are usually not identifiable here in the USA, but there are some identifiable donors at certain sperm banks. They are VERY popular and sell out quickly. The idea of the sperm donor being identifiable is for the benefit of any children born. Like adopted kids who become adults, many (but not all) DI-conceived adults want to know who their bio dads are. What laws in other countries often mandate is that when the child becomes an adult (age 18), IF that person wants to know who the donor is, s/he can. The donor doesn't have to have an ongoing relationship with the child, just be willing to meet once and/or have phone conversation or send a picture, whatever the child wants in that regard. I'm sure that initially there will be less donors. That has been the pattern in other countries like Sweden. But then gradually it increased and was as high as ever. The only thing that concerns me is that our country (USA) has people who love to get a lawyer and sue someone and they might win even if they are in the wrong. THAT is what I think could scare sperm donors away, not having to perhaps meet a donor-conceived person. I hope they put some very strong unbreakable laws in place so that donors can feel confident that someone isn't showing up to sue their butts off! Jen L.