Main Recommendation:
The four Nordic National Ethics Councils (Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway) jointly call for an international limit on the number of children that can be conceived from a single egg or sperm donor. They urge the Nordic countries to initiate EU and Council of Europe-level discussions on this topic.
✅ Key Suggestions:
International Regulation Needed:
National limits exist, but cross-border use of gametes often bypasses these, leading to large numbers of half-siblings.
Current EU regulations (even upcoming SoHO regulation) do not impose cross-border limits.
Medical, Psychosocial & Ethical Factors Must Guide Policy:
Include perspectives of donors, recipients, and donor-conceived individuals when setting limits.
Transparency Is Crucial:
Donors and recipients must be fully informed about national/international limits before any donation takes place.
Cryobanks Should Act Proactively:
Encourage voluntary international limits until formal regulations are in place.
Donors should be allowed to set personal limits on the use of their gametes.
Strengthen National Donor Recruitment:
To mitigate supply issues if international limits reduce donor availability.
Counselling Services:
Should be available to donor-conceived individuals and families to support identity and psychological well-being.
Ethical & Psychosocial Concerns:
Discovery of numerous half-siblings via DNA testing or social media can create identity, emotional, and relational complexities.
Donors and their families may face unexpected contact from offspring.
The commodification of human gametes raises questions about dignity and altruism in donation.
There’s tension between:
Ensuring reproductive freedom
Preventing excessive commercialization of human reproduction
Protecting donor-conceived individuals’ rights and well-being
📊 Current National Practices (Nordic countries)
Denmark: max 12 families per donor.
Sweden/Norway: max 6 families.
Finland: max 5 families.
Other European countries range from 1 to 12 families/children per donor.
🧬 Genetic Testing Impact
Direct-to-consumer DNA testing has eliminated true anonymity.
Donor-conceived individuals often discover dozens or hundreds of half-siblings, sparking public concern and media attention.
🧩 Stakeholders & Their Interests
Donor-conceived individuals: Seek transparency, connection, and identity clarity.
Donors: Varying preferences—some want anonymity and distance; others are open to contact.
Recipient parents: Often prefer fewer half-siblings for their child.
Society: Wants to balance reproductive freedom with ethical concerns over commodification.
Operators/cryobanks: Face financial pressures and logistical challenges around limits, but need to maintain ethical credibility.
To read the full statement from the Nordic Councils see here: https://etiskraad.dk/Media/638784921854270459/Nordic%20statement%20engelsk_end%20note.pdf