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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
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| Fertility donor pay debate call | Fertility donor pay debate call |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| The UK's fertility watchdog has called for a fresh debate on reversing the ban on paying egg and sperm donors. | The UK's fertility watchdog has called for a fresh debate on reversing the ban on paying egg and sperm donors. |
| Head of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, Professor Lisa Jardine, says proper payment may persuade more donors to come forward. | Head of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, Professor Lisa Jardine, says proper payment may persuade more donors to come forward. |
| More and more British couples are going abroad for infertility treatment since the ban on payments was introduced. | More and more British couples are going abroad for infertility treatment since the ban on payments was introduced. |
| The number of women using donated eggs and sperm fell by 25% and 30% respectively between 2004 and 2006. | The number of women using donated eggs and sperm fell by 25% and 30% respectively between 2004 and 2006. |
| 'Patient welfare' | 'Patient welfare' |
| Professor Jardine told the Times she felt a "responsibility" to look at the ban on selling donated eggs and sperm again. | Professor Jardine told the Times she felt a "responsibility" to look at the ban on selling donated eggs and sperm again. |
| My agenda is to try and keep assisted reproduction within our regulated area, not because I'm bossy, but out of concern for patient welfare Professor Jardine | |
| She said payments may ease the shortage of stocks and keep more patients in Britain to be treated in regulated clinics. | She said payments may ease the shortage of stocks and keep more patients in Britain to be treated in regulated clinics. |
| She said: "I'm not saying the decision arrived at before I became chair wasn't the right one at the time. | She said: "I'm not saying the decision arrived at before I became chair wasn't the right one at the time. |
| "But given the evidence that egg shortage is driving women overseas, I feel a responsibility to look at it again." | "But given the evidence that egg shortage is driving women overseas, I feel a responsibility to look at it again." |
| Professor Jardine added: "My agenda is to try and keep assisted reproduction within our regulated area, not because I'm bossy, but out of concern for patient welfare." | Professor Jardine added: "My agenda is to try and keep assisted reproduction within our regulated area, not because I'm bossy, but out of concern for patient welfare." |
| She also said egg donors should be paid more than sperm donors to reflect the greater physical risks involved. | She also said egg donors should be paid more than sperm donors to reflect the greater physical risks involved. |
| Anonymity for sperm and egg donors was removed in 2005 - another factor thought to be behind the donor shortage. | Anonymity for sperm and egg donors was removed in 2005 - another factor thought to be behind the donor shortage. |
| The maximum any donor can receive in expenses is currently £250. | The maximum any donor can receive in expenses is currently £250. |
| Professor Jardine told the BBC a payment comparable to the cost of a cycle of IVF treatment - around £3,000 - might be more appropriate for women who donate eggs. | Professor Jardine told the BBC a payment comparable to the cost of a cycle of IVF treatment - around £3,000 - might be more appropriate for women who donate eggs. |
| Rewarding altruism | Rewarding altruism |
| Professor Jardine also wants a wider debate on the question of when family members should be allowed to donate to one another. | Professor Jardine also wants a wider debate on the question of when family members should be allowed to donate to one another. |
| Intergenerational donations have occurred, such as the case of a 72-year-old Briton who provided sperm to his daughter-in-law. | Intergenerational donations have occurred, such as the case of a 72-year-old Briton who provided sperm to his daughter-in-law. |
| Most people in the profession would agree that donors should be paid more because it is a big commitment Fertility expert Dr Allan Pacey | Most people in the profession would agree that donors should be paid more because it is a big commitment Fertility expert Dr Allan Pacey |
| Another issue is donation between siblings. Although it is generally accepted that sisters can give eggs to one another, Professor Jardine wants to consider whether a brother should be allowed to donate sperm to his sister if she is using a donated egg. | Another issue is donation between siblings. Although it is generally accepted that sisters can give eggs to one another, Professor Jardine wants to consider whether a brother should be allowed to donate sperm to his sister if she is using a donated egg. |
| Commenting on the payment concern, Dr Ainsley Newson, a senior lecturer in biomedical ethics at Bristol University, said the issue was around "reasonable compensation" for the burden of egg retrieval rather than paying for the eggs. | Commenting on the payment concern, Dr Ainsley Newson, a senior lecturer in biomedical ethics at Bristol University, said the issue was around "reasonable compensation" for the burden of egg retrieval rather than paying for the eggs. |
| "Increasing the capped amount that women are given for donating eggs may increase donation. | "Increasing the capped amount that women are given for donating eggs may increase donation. |
| "It will also help to emphasise the altruism behind donation, not forgetting the importance of the gift being made." | "It will also help to emphasise the altruism behind donation, not forgetting the importance of the gift being made." |
| Dr Allan Pacey, secretary of the British Fertility Society and a senior lecturer at the University of Sheffield, said: "It's good that we are having a debate about it. | Dr Allan Pacey, secretary of the British Fertility Society and a senior lecturer at the University of Sheffield, said: "It's good that we are having a debate about it. |
| "Most people in the profession would agree that donors should be paid more because it is a big commitment, particularly egg donation." | "Most people in the profession would agree that donors should be paid more because it is a big commitment, particularly egg donation." |
| He said the difficulty was deciding the appropriate sum and how to square this with the "free" altruistic act of donation. | He said the difficulty was deciding the appropriate sum and how to square this with the "free" altruistic act of donation. |
| BFS chairman Tony Rutherford said there would have to be a limit set on how many eggs a woman could safely donate. | BFS chairman Tony Rutherford said there would have to be a limit set on how many eggs a woman could safely donate. |
| Laura Witjens, chair of the National Gamete Donation Trust, said: "Egg and sperm donors are doing a fantastic thing for people they don't know with repercussions for themselves and their families for many years to come. | Laura Witjens, chair of the National Gamete Donation Trust, said: "Egg and sperm donors are doing a fantastic thing for people they don't know with repercussions for themselves and their families for many years to come. |
| "To fob them off with receipted expenses and a capped £250 payment is an insult to the time, effort, risk and long term implications donors take." | "To fob them off with receipted expenses and a capped £250 payment is an insult to the time, effort, risk and long term implications donors take." |