Should donors have the right to decide who receives their gametes?

Abstract

A continuing feature of gamete donation is the scarcity of available donors. A strategy to improve the meagre supply of gametes would be to adjust the donation procedure to the wishes and desires of the donors. However, giving donors the right to direct their gametes to certain groups of recipients goes against the general rule that donors relinquish all rights and duties. Moreover, allocation by the donor might very well run counter to the rules of distributional justice. On the other hand, the allocation right can be supported by the principle of autonomy and by the donor's interest in and contribution to the process. The position is taken that the donors should have the right to direct their gametes to categories accepted as relevant by the moral and religious communities in their society. They should not be given the right to add their own categories to the exclusion list. If donors are not allowed to allocate their gift, they should at least be informed as to which categories of recipient are treated by the hospital to enable them to decide whether they want to donate gametes.