title: Gamete donation from couple to couple in the new French law.
abstract: In practice, the partners or spouses of gamete donors are frequently asked permission for the donation. The new French law on bioethics of 29 July 1994 requires that: a) the donor should be one of a couple that has already procreated and b) the written consent of the partner or spouse is obtained. These conditions lead not only to several practical problems in the organisation of donor insemination but also reject a large part of the potential donor population. The two basic qualities demanded of the donors, e.g., paternity and stable relationship, are analyzed. It is proposed that only fatherhood should serve as an exclusionary criterion for sperm donation. The donor need not be a part of a couple at the moment of the donation but if he has a partner at that time her opinion should be heard.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Bioethics, Free University, Brussels.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pennings
mesh_terms: D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D019520:Living Donors / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011247:Pregnancy; D012099:Reproductive Techniques / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D013074:Sperm Banks / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*