Bioethics Research Paper
Research Paper Word Count- 1,783
Anonymous sperm donation through a sperm bank is allowed in almost every state. Some states do have laws that allow children of anonymous sperm donors to learn the identity of their genetic father when they turn 18 or 21 years old. In this essay, I argue that it should be mandatory that contact information be given to every person who seeks an egg or sperm donation. When an anonymous donation is given, it is sometimes difficult for children to seek their biological parents, therefore this process is unethical for children who want to know who their biological parents are. Many children apart from children adopted, have rights to know their biological parents. Even though anonymous donation doesn’t entitle the person to leave contact, it is important for the child or parent of that child to have this information. There are many diseases that can come from heredity. Children should be able to trace these diseases and know what comes in their bloodline from their parents. Also some children can get sick, and will need a donor. The child may share the same blood type or could be a match with the anonymous donor, and how would they be able to reach out to this anonymous donor, so that their sickness can be treated or their lives can be saved.
There are moral issues and legal rights that are involved with anonymous gamete donation. In the debate about donor anonymity this has been expressed as the child’s right to know the identity of its gamete donor. “As Harvey has claimed, ‘Increased knowledge and a gradual shift in attitudes has enabled us to acknowledge that in our contemporary culture young people have strong moral claims to know their genetic identities. It is now time for these moral claims to be converted into legal right. (Frith 2001) Many countries allow anonymous gamete donation, but some countries have changed their law when they were presented with the rights of the children. “The right to know one’s biological origins
Anonymous sperm donation through a sperm bank is allowed in almost every state. Some states do have laws that allow children of anonymous sperm donors to learn the identity of their genetic father when they turn 18 or 21 years old. In this essay, I argue that it should be mandatory that contact information be given to every person who seeks an egg or sperm donation. When an anonymous donation is given, it is sometimes difficult for children to seek their biological parents, therefore this process is unethical for children who want to know who their biological parents are. Many children apart from children adopted, have rights to know their biological parents. Even though anonymous donation doesn’t entitle the person to leave contact, it is important for the child or parent of that child to have this information. There are many diseases that can come from heredity. Children should be able to trace these diseases and know what comes in their bloodline from their parents. Also some children can get sick, and will need a donor. The child may share the same blood type or could be a match with the anonymous donor, and how would they be able to reach out to this anonymous donor, so that their sickness can be treated or their lives can be saved.
There are moral issues and legal rights that are involved with anonymous gamete donation. In the debate about donor anonymity this has been expressed as the child’s right to know the identity of its gamete donor. “As Harvey has claimed, ‘Increased knowledge and a gradual shift in attitudes has enabled us to acknowledge that in our contemporary culture young people have strong moral claims to know their genetic identities. It is now time for these moral claims to be converted into legal right. (Frith 2001) Many countries allow anonymous gamete donation, but some countries have changed their law when they were presented with the rights of the children. “The right to know one’s biological origins
References: Frith, Lucy. 2001. Beneath the Rhetoric: The Role of Rights in the Practice of Non- Anonymous Gamete Donation Kant, Immanuel. 1785. Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Trans. T.K. Abbott. Philosophy Eserver.http://philosophy.eserver.org/kant/metaphys-of-morals.txt (accessed 30 August 2008). Motluk, Alison. 2011. Canadian court bans anonymous sperm and egg donation. Nature Publishing Group Html (accessed 1 July 2012). Ravitsky, Vardit. 2012. Concieved and Deceived: The Medical Interests of Donor-Conceived Individuals Weinberg, Rivka. 2008. The Moral Complexity of Sperm Donation. Bioethics. 22:3, 166-178.