Pod Academy

  The number of couples seeking fertility treatment is rising every year.  But donor assisted conception poses huge ethical and human rights issues.  Up until 10 years ago, sperm donors and women who donated eggs had a right to remain anonymous.  Then the law was changed in 2005 giving donor conceived people the right to information about their donors.  Most people agree that this was a milestone to be celebrated, but does it go far enough? This podcast explores the issues.  it is drawn from an event organised by the Progress Educational Trust  and is introduced by the Chair of the event, Charles Lister, Chair of the National Gamete Donation Trust, and former Head of Policy at the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. He quoted a speech by the Public Health Minister, Melanie Johnson made in 20014, 'Clinics decide to provide treatment using donors; patients make a decision to receive treatment using donors; donors decide to donate. Donor-conceived children, however, do not decide to be born – is it t