'Give Life, Give Hope' To Those With Fertility Problems, UK Dept of Health
The campaign will focus primarily on men aged 28-45 and women aged 28-35. Donations from just 0.01% of the UK fertile population would satisfy the current demand for eggs and sperm in this country. Currently each year 250 men donate sperm and 1100 women donate their eggs.
A network of 95 fertility clinics throughout England will support the campaign. Posters, leaflets and business cards using the campaign strapline 'Give Life, Give Hope' will be distributed to clinics. As well as changing perceptions about donating, the campaign will promote The National Gamete Donation Trust's (NGDT) helpline and website. The NGDT is the first port of call for anyone interested in finding out more about sperm and egg donation.
Health Minister Melanie Johnson said:
"This campaign will raise awareness of the huge benefits that donation can bring to those with fertility problems. As well as boosting the number of egg and sperm donors we want to encourage people to see the value of donating and to realise what it really means to the recipients: that they are giving families hope and the possibility of a new life.
"We also aim to dispel the myths around donating egg and sperm and seek to assure donors that they will have no financial or legal responsibilities to any related offspring, either now or in 18 years time. By donating today, they are just giving an infertile couple the chance of having a child."
The campaign launches in the run-up to the implementation of changes in the law to remove donor anonymity. The new rules will lift anonymity from future sperm, egg and embryo donors and allow donor-conceived children to access the identity of their donor when they reach the age of 18.
New research conducted for the campaign suggests that there is a large pool of potential donors of eggs or sperm. Almost half (44%) of respondents involved in the survey showed positive attitudes towards donation; 12% of respondents said they 'would definitely' consider donating and 31% said they 'may consider' donating.
Laura Witjens, Chair of the National Gamete Donation Trust and egg donor said:
"Although donating egg and sperm is a very personal decision, it is very encouraging to see from this research that there is potentially a much wider pool of people willing to donate than we might have expected. Currently people are unaware of the need for more egg and sperm donors. Our hope is that this campaign will spark an interest in men and women up and down the country to find out more."
Olivia Montuschi, mother of two sperm donor conceived children said:
"This essential campaign will ensure that more people are given the opportunity to have the families they long for. My partner and I feel very lucky to have been able to become parents thanks to the generosity of our donors. I would encourage more people to consider giving what is the most valuable charitable donation they could ever make - the gift of life."
Notes to editors
- Campaign materials, factsheets and visuals are available from the contacts below. A wide range of case studies are also available for interview (see below).
- For more information or to put in an interview bid please call Hetty Crist at the Department of Health on 020 7210 5892 / 5239/ 5257 or Sarah Schofield or Kathryn Williams at Fishburn Hedges on 020 7544 3093 / 3058
- The National Gamete Donation Trust (NGDT) helpline is 0845 2269193; information also available at http://www.ngdt.co.uk
- Case studies available for interview are:
- Dr Siaran West, sperm recipient and egg donor
- Laura Witjens (nee Spoelstra), egg donor and Chair of NGDT
- Pip Morris, egg recipient, Recruitment Manager at NGDT
- Clare Brown, Executive Director of Infertility Network UK
- John Kilby, sperm donor
- The research referred to was carried out by ICM for Fishburn Hedges/Department of Health amongst a weighted sample of 653 adults (throughout the UK) from all social and economic backgrounds. According to the research, the main motivations for donating are knowing family or friends who are infertile (45%) and the desire to do good (23%). Being paid is a very small motivation (7%).
- Around one in seven couples in the UK have fertility problems. These people could be helped by assisted conception methods including the process of using donor eggs or sperm. Around 7,000 patients receive treatment with donated eggs and sperm every year and as a result 2,000 children are born.
- Over 25,000 people have been born as a result of treatment with donated sperm, eggs or embryos since the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 required the HFEA to maintain a register of such births. An estimated 12,000 people were conceived with donor sperm or eggs before then.
- The change in law removes the major discrepancy that existed between the rights of donor-conceived people and those of adopted people. A number of other countries already provide donor conceived people with access to identifying information about their donor and have valued the change they have made.
- The new regulations will only apply to people who donate after April 1 2005. This means that the first time 18 year olds will be able to ask for the identity of their donor - if they choose - will be in 2023.The new regulations will not be retrospective. People donating sperm, eggs or embryos before April 2005 will not be identifiable. When the new regulations do come into force, they will not impact on a donor's responsibilities to any child born as a result of their donation. As now, they will have no financial or legal obligations towards the child. See DH press notice 21st January 2004.
GNNREF: 109545
Issued by : DOH Press Office
"A da viaþã, Dã Hope" Pentru cei cu probleme de fertilitate, Marea Britanie Ministerul Sãnãtãþii - 'Give Life, Give Hope' To Those With Fertility Problems, UK Dept of Health - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate