BFS statement in response to BBC's survey on
the availability of donor sperm in the UK
13 Sep 2006
The BBC has just issued a press release (Clinics in “crisis” and
having “great difficulty” getting sperm donors) on
the results of a survey on the availability of donor sperm in the
UK. Dr Mark Hamilton, Chair of the British Fertility Society, has
made the following comment.
"The British Fertility Society is well aware of the difficulties
many patients throughout the country are experiencing in accessing
gamete donation services, in particular donor insemination treatment.
A working party has been convened by the Society to examine the
situation and will shortly be making recommendations to the Department
of Health.
Provision of such services requires significant resources
to attract, recruit, screen, and counsel prospective donors.
The survey reinforces our own findings that many clinics are
now finding it impossible to provide these services. One solution
may be the development of a nationally co-ordinated donor recruitment
service, managed through a number of adequately resourced recruitment
centres, to meet the urgent needs of our patients, many of whom
remain distressed by yet another example of postcode variation
in quality and availability of infertility services throughout
the country."
For more information: please contact the British Fertility Society press office
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