Anonymity and Openness in Donor Conception: the New Danish Model

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Whereas the regulatory trend in many European countries has been a move towards openness in donation, Denmark has maintained the possibility of donating and receiving donated sperm completely anonymously. For that reason the supply of donated sperm remains so high that the world’s largest sperm bank is based in Denmark and consequently anonymous sperm is also exported abroad, even into jurisdictions where anonymity is banned illegal. This commentary traces the raison d’être of anonymity in Danish law, accounts for the legal framework for the internet sale of sperm and examines the new Danish model in donor conception which offers women/couples a choice of anonymity or openness in donation.This paper is based on my talk on June 20, 2013 at London School of Economics at the conference “New Families and Genetic Identities: Developments in law, policy and research” organised by the Morgan Centre for the Study of Relationships and Personal Life (University of Manchester) and the LSE.
Original languageEnglish
JournalEuropean Journal of Health Law
Volume20
Issue number5
Pages (from-to)505-511
Number of pages7
ISSN0929-0273
Publication statusPublished - 2013

ID: 49040770