Sperm wars?

An invasion may be about to take place. First there were the Vikings. Now there's going to be an invasion of Danish sperm. And British men had better watch out: soon their virility will be seriously undermined by their European counterparts.

This is the way the prospect of imports of Danish sperm has been reported in the press on both sides of the English channel. One German newspaper, Die Tageszeitung, ran an article telling British men that their sperm is just not up to scratch. They should start living more healthy, outdoor lives - otherwise continental European men will continue to outstrip them in the semen department.

Actually, there's nothing particularly wrong with British sperm: it's British sperm donors that are lacking. According to recent reports, one clinic in a small town in Denmark has 250 sperm donors on its books. Compare that to 100 donors at the largest American sperm bank and one donor in Glasgow. It's no wonder that Richard Fleming, professor at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, has put in a request to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) for leave to import sperm from Denmark to make up for their dire shortage. However, the HFEA is concerned that semen screening protocols in other countries may not be a strict as in the UK.

A number of theories exist as to why the Danes seem more willing to donate sperm. Some say that the £15 maximum on payments to donors - and the recent threats to outlaw even this amount - is putting potential donors off. Others think that the existence of a central register in the UK - containing details of donors, their medical histories and their interests - may also be deterring donors. Although identifying information is not currently available to children born of gamete donation, donors may fear that recent demands for an end to anonymity will be met by the government and that donors will become known to their genetic offspring.

Some of these reasons may be accurate. Danish sperm banks are not subject to the same restrictions on how much money they can offer donors. And Danish donors do not fear being sought out by their offspring because there is no central register of information. It may be nothing more than a different culture where a different set of attitudes to sperm donation prevail. But, whatever the reason for the disparity between sperm donation in Denmark and in Britain, it seems clear that unless the situation in Britain changes very quickly, the HFEA should find a way of satisfying itself that foreign sperm is properly screened and allow it to be imported. Let the invasion begin.