Issues with using the unregulated fertility market

• Not ethical
• No STD screening
• Risk of Serial Sperm Donors (hundreds of siblings)
• Risk of inherited genetic diseases. Even clinics screen for basic ones, including cystic fibrosis.
• No implications counselling whatsoever

Lack of Medical Screening: Unregulated donors often do not undergo the rigorous infectious disease testing (e.g., HIV, Hepatitis B and C, syphilis) required by clinics. This poses a direct health risk to the recipient and, subsequently, the DCP.

Absence of Genetic Screening: There is no guarantee that the donor has been tested for inheritable diseases or genetic conditions.

Legal Uncertainty and Parental Rights: In many jurisdictions, including the UK, an unregulated donor may be considered the legal father of the child, with the potential to claim parental rights or be held financially responsible for child maintenance. This contrasts sharply with regulated, licensed clinics, where the donor has no legal rights or responsibilities.

No Limits on Offspring: Licensed clinics restrict the number of families a donor can help (e.g., 10 in the UK) to prevent inbreeding and limit the number of half-siblings. Unregulated donors may create hundreds of children, significantly increasing the risk of unintended consanguinity.

Lack of Donor Identification: Children born through unregulated arrangements may not be able to access crucial genetic, medical, or identity information about their donor when they turn 18.

Safety and Exploitation Risks: Informal arrangements can lead to situations where donors, sometimes referred to as “Joe Donors,” exploit vulnerable women, for example, by demanding sexual intercourse (natural insemination) instead of using artificial insemination.

Dishonesty and Misrepresentation: There is no oversight to verify the donor’s medical, physical, or personal history. Some donors have been found to lie about their health, identity, or previous donations

which is associated with risks for all parties, such as the transmission of infections or serious genetic conditions, lack of clarity on the legal parental status of the donor and intended parents, and challenges in upholding the right of donor-conceived people to access information on their genetic origin where this is provided for in the national legislation.