• Directions
• Chair's letters
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
  • 2007-2010
  • 2003-2006
  • 1999-2002
  • 1995-1998
  • 1991-1994
• Chief Executive's letters
• Multiple Births Minimisation Strategy: achievements and compliance
• Frequently used guidance
• Inspecting surgical procedures
• Retrieval of storage of gametes where patients are unable to consent
• Surrogacy and legal parenthood – changes from 1 October 2013

09 December 1998

Dear Colleague,

I am writing to thank those of you who contributed to the recent consultation on payments to donors, and to let you know of some recent decisions made by the HFEA regarding payments and egg sharing.

Payments for egg and sperm donors

The HFEA believes that the donation of sperm or eggs to create new life should be a gift, freely and voluntarily given. As we have said before, we would like to see a culture of altruism where donors come forward voluntarily, and we will continue to look at ways in which that might be achieved. Our recent consultation document raised the possibility of a National Donor Service, and we look forward to seeing the progress of the National Gamete Donation Trust in its efforts to raise awareness of the need for donors.

Nevertheless, it has become clear from the responses to the recent consultation that the removal of payments in the present climate would seriously jeopardise the supply of sperm donors in particular. We have a responsibility to patients as well as the wider community, and so we have asked ourselves whether £15 payment for donors is so wrong that, in order to abolish it, we would be prepared to see donation itself be substantially threatened. We decided ultimately that it was not. We also cannot ignore the wider global context in which we now find ourselves operating, including the steady erosion of national boundaries and the role of EU law. We are aware that social attitudes and prevailing cultures may change over time, and we will continue to monitor developments.

We also recognise that it would be unfair not to grant equity to those clinics set up since 1991 who have not been allowed to pay up to £15 plus expenses to donors. I attach copies of new General Directions Ref. D. 1998/1, allowing these clinics to pay the same as others.

Egg sharing
We have debated the complex issue of egg sharing at length. Whilst no-one can have a problem with a woman who is undergoing IW freely and voluntarily choosing to share surplus eggs with someone else, we recognise the concerns arising when subsidised IW treatment is offered for such eggs. However, the overwhelming view of the HFEA was that it would not be right to ban 'compensated' egg sharing, which can be enormously beneficial to both sharer and receiver.

It is clear, however, that such egg sharing needs to be closely controlled and regulated, and we will be working on producing specific guidelines on this for our Code of Practice. This will look at, amongst other things, consent, the information that is given to potential sharers, and the choices they are presented with when a limited numbers of eggs have been collected.

I hope this is helpful.

Yours sincerely,

Ruth Deech
Chairman

Page last updated: 14 April 2009

• Send to a friend