Donor conception report: what has happened since?

The Council has published a record of developments relevant to its April 2013 report Donor conception: ethical aspects of information sharing. This report considered the interests of people affected by donor conception and made recommendations on what can be done to support, encourage and empower those making decisions about the sharing of information in this context.In the year or more since the report’s publication, the Council has initiated a range of follow up activities, including presentations at public events and meetings with relevant groups and government bodies such as the Donor Conception Network (DCN) and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). This new paper includes a summary of such activities, along with reactions to the report from parents, donor-conceived people and donors, as well as policy makers and stakeholder groups.Developments in relation to specific recommendations include:

• Updated HFEA guidance on encouraging donors to provide more personal information in the donor form for the possible benefit of children born as a result of their donation;
• The HFEA’s initiation of a three-year pilot for an intermediary service to support both donor-conceived people and the donor where they make, or consider making, contact (using the expertise of post-adoption agencies); and
• HFEA plans to develop a standalone website for donors, parents and donor-conceived people to bring together information related to donor conception and raise awareness about the possibility of donor re-registration.

Download Donor conception: ethical aspects of information sharing: report developments (PDF, 18 pages)Read more about the Council’s work on donor conception