A Cross-Jurisdictional Study of Regulatory Requirements and Practice Regarding the Recording of Donor Information and its Release to Donor Conceived People: A Report Prepared for the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust of Australia

The study forms part of the author's ongoing research on pscyho-social, ethical and legal issues regarding the release of identifying and non-identifying information about donors to donor conceived people where assisted reproduction has been used. The author traveled to a number of jurisdictions (the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Austria, and the United Kingdom) that require the recording and release of such information (i.e. they require non-anonymous gamete donation) and interviewed practitioners, regulators and other persons regarding regulatory approaches and practices. In particular, the project examined: 1) what the law in each jurisdiction provides; 2) the practice of recording information about the donor and releasing such information to donor conceived people or the recipient parent(s); 3) information regarding what underlies the law; how well it had been received; and any aspects of the law or practice that might be improved according to those who were implementing it. Some further research was also conducted on other jurisdictions and is briefly included at the end of the report. Recommendations regarding regulation and practice are made.