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Should egg and sperm donation between relatives be allowed?
Sources: HFEA, Guardian newspaper
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is seeking opinions on various aspects of sperm and egg donation by 8th April 2011, to shape future UK regulation in this area.
Views are sought on the ethical acceptability of issues ranging from reimbursement and benefits for donors, to increasing the current limit of a maximum of ten families from a single sperm donor. The HFEA is also considering whether to regulate donation within families, which can raise additional ethical concerns. For example, donation from the sister of an infertile woman is rarely considered controversial – though there are worries that family members might come under pressure to donate – but from a mother to a daughter or a father to a son (or vice versa) can cause more debate.
It is suggested that situations that are further removed from those that might occur legally and without artificial intervention cause the most public unease. The HFEA proposes options such as prohibiting the mixing of sperm and eggs between close genetic relatives, or going further and prohibiting the mixing of sperm and eggs between any close relatives, such as would be prohibited from sexual relations by incest laws. As technology advances and more things become possible, debating the ethical issues of what society considers desirable, or even acceptable, becomes increasingly important.