Link to survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=tKA_2bB9T_2bPBXER4yIjm_2fUMQ_3d_3d

We are hoping to gather insightful sperm donor information so that we can better educate the industry and also have donor conceived people and recipients better understand the motivations, thoughts, desires and hesitations of former sperm donors.

We know that there are questions that you might be uncomfortable answering. Please feel free to skip any questions that you would rather not answer.

You will remain completely anonymous if you wish to be. We will only be sharing the general results of the survey.

There are 45 questions that should take between 10-15 minutes to answer. Please pass along to any donors that you might know of.

Thanks so much!
Wendy

As we have seen, many sperm banks are very attentive at first, when you are trying to get pregnant. But then later on down the line when there is a medical issue, or perhaps there is a donor conceived person desperately wanting to connect with half siblings and/or their donor, the banks can refuse to give out medical information and donor numbers. Many sperm banks will not even give the donors themselves their donor numbers- so that when they need to share medical information, the banks essentially prohibit this from happening.

I have tried to help several DSR families over the years gain information from Idant Laboratories, and each and every time we seem to end up empty handed. Whether it is a donor or adult donor conceived person trying to find out their donor numbers, or a parent trying to find out medical information,  Idant has just not been responsive. They will not return phone calls, faxes or emails. Then, if you can get Dr. Feldshuh on the phone, he makes promises that he doesn’t keep, and then will not return any subsequent follow-up phone calls, emails or faxes. Even when you send them several times.

Here are excerpts from a letter just written to Dr. Feldshuh by the mother of an adult donor conceived person, who has been trying to get the donor number she used (as well as medical information on the donor) so that her son can check to see if others are posted on the DSR:

“You have records of calls and other correspondence from previous years as well as notes from phone calls and faxes and letters from both Wendy Kramer and myself throughout this year, all asking for information on my son’s donor father.

It is despicable that after essentially saying, we have searched high and low and cannot find any records for or about you or your donor.

Shameful to have ended my search with such a cavalier and unacceptable response.

It is hard to believe that you are in the business of making lives and have responsibility for providing accurate and current health and genetic information about your donors.

It is unconscionable that you do not retain and update important information about donors and their offspring.

A very disturbing ending to what was a joyful association with your group.”

I’d like to comment on the news story that hit the press yesterday: “Court denies effort to ID sperm donor for child support”.

The case of Jane Doe v  XYZ Co is primarily a case about obtaining sperm donor identity.  Far from being an isolated case, the DSR is aware of other members who maintain that the NECC similarly told them that their donors were willing to be known to their offspring. Like Jane Doe they relied upon the false information when selecting a donor to conceive and are also now trying to obtain donor identity for their children.  Although the DSR generally does not rate sperm banks, the DSR does advise members not to use the NECC both because of its identity release confusion and because it has a dire health screening record for its donors, with far too many incidences of hereditary disorders and medical issues being reported to the DSR.   At present time the entire sperm and egg banking industry has no accurate record keeping, no updating and sharing of medical records and most times will not assist families who wish to connect to share important genetic and medical information amongst themselves. Like the Appellate Court, the DSR also calls upon the Massachusetts legislature to bring in rules regulating sperm donation and strongly advises that the Massachusetts legislature take this opportunity to become the first state in America to seriously consider the rights of the donor conceived children being born and their right to know their genetic, medical and ancestral backgrounds.