Fears over UK egg and sperm donor shortages

British fertility doctors say that a forthcoming law ending anonymity for egg and sperm donors will worsen the current donor shortage in the UK, and will also lead to an increase in patients seeking treatment abroad. The British Fertility Society (BFS) says it 'welcomes steps towards openness in fertility treatment', but has concerns about 'the effects of the removal of anonymity on donor fertility services in the UK'. BFS chair Alison Murdoch warned last week that the new law could also lead to an increase in couples seeking unlicensed services, such as those offered by Internet sperm donor agencies.

Fertility clinics say that they have already noticed a decline in the numbers of people coming forward to donate gametes, since the announcement, made last January, that the rules on anonymity were to be changed. The changes mean that anyone born from eggs, sperm or embryos donated after 1 April will be able to ask for identifying information about the donor, when they reach the age of 18. Dr Murdoch said: 'My worst case scenario is that services will go underground', adding 'Everyone will lose out that way. It's not what we want to see'.

British agencies offering to collect and supply fresh, rather than frozen sperm do not have to be licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), so will not be covered by the new regulations. This means that as well as not having to abide by the rule lifting anonymity, they are also not obliged to screen donors for genetic conditions or infections such as HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), checks which licensed clinics must carry out. As well as the fear that the law change will lead to a proliferation of such 'back street' agencies, Dr Murdoch also predicts an increase in 'fertility tourism', with couples seeking treatment in possibly low-standard clinics outside the European Union.

BFS secretary Allen Pacey said the number of sperm donors recruited by his clinic each year had dropped from 27 in 1992 to just one in 2000, and that a survey of nine other clinics revealed that all were only getting one or two donors a year. He said that between 350-450 new sperm donors were needed each year to keep up with demand, but that the current five per cent acceptance rate meant that 'we have to mobilise 7-10,000 men each year in the country to consider donation and enter the system'.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said that a new campaign launched earlier this year will help to change public perceptions about what donating involves, and will encourage more donors to come forward. The campaign, called 'Give Life, Give Hope' focuses primarily on men aged 28-40 and women aged 28-35.