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3 February 2005
The Scottish Council on Human Bioethics (SCHB) is concerned that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority’s (HFEA) consultation entitled ‘The Regulation of Donor-Assisted Conception’ (which is ending on Friday the 4th of February 2005) may result in human sperm and eggs donors becoming 'vendors'. [1]
Dr. Calum MacKellar, the Director of Research of the SCHB stated, in this respect, that "if human sperm or egg donations take place because of financial incentives, no matter how small, then we cannot speak of donors but 'vendors'", adding that "this would be completely contrary to the spirit of European and UK law".
The Scottish Council on Human Bioethics has further indicated, in its response to the HFEA consultation, that the document did not sufficiently address all the important ethical issues relevant to donor-assisted conception, as such, but seemed to restrict itself to examining the manner in which it was possible to obtain sufficient gametes and embryos for assisted conception in the UK.
In addition, the SCHB was unclear whether the HFEA had become a sort of advocate of (1) infertile couples seeking donor insemination and (2) fertility clinics seeking business, while disregarding the views of the general public. Many members of the UK public are indeed very uncomfortable with the present donor insemination guidelines. This is reflected by their general unwillingness to become gamete donors and especially if they are to lose their anonymity [2]. In this regard, the question whether enough gametes should be found at all at the expense of the views of the general population should be seriously considered. The great majority of the UK population may be ‘voting with its feet’ to a procedure with which it does not agree!
Dr. MacKellar also emphasised the strong biological bonds which existed between genetic parents and their children stating that "the extremes to which some persons, such as Mr. David Blunket, will go in order to prove their paternity over a child is a measure of how strong these biological bonds really are."
1. HFEA – The Regulation of Donor-Assisted Conception, http://www.hfea.gov.uk/AboutHFEA/HFEAPolicy?SEEDReview
2. For example, 90 % of UK clinics are already reporting a shortage of donors, and fertility experts expect the situation to get worse in April 2005, when donors lose their right to anonymity. In A. Frean, Couples may get chance to design the 'ideal' IVF baby, TIMESONLINE, 12 November 2004: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1355182,00.html