When Fertility Turns Fraudulent

The process of vetting sperm donors is an extensive one — a process that families facing fertility issues count on to be accurate.

“One cannot 100 percent screen for any and all health and familial history.”

Now a recent story about a sperm donor who was sued for lying about his true identity has called the entire vetting process into question. Three families have sued Xytex Cryo International, a sperm bank in Georgia, alleging it did not do a thorough job of vetting a sperm donor. They found he was a schizophrenic college dropout with a felony conviction.

Dr. Peter Ahlering, director of the Missouri Center for Reproductive Medicine in St. Louis, said he has found that donors and surrogates are “fine people who have true intentions and honest motivations.” His fertility center is not a sperm bank.

“The system that is in place for screening is extremely safe and effective for preventive problems, but again, someone predisposed to deceit is a problem that cannot be covered,” he said.

“This is the reality. One cannot 100 percent screen for any and all health and familial history,” Ahlering said, adding that a questionable donor would most likely be flagged in a rigorous selection process. Today’s advanced testing makes it hard to disguise “significant issues,” he added.

He questioned whether the sperm bank in Georgia conducted a background test, and said the rules probably were not followed in that case.

“This one case involves a situation in which the bank did not follow procedures properly for some reason,” he said. “My thought is that this is an exceptional case involving a bank that may have let something slip by, unfortunately. This is not something I have ever encountered.”

Vetting Rules
The Food and Drug Administration mandates that sperm donations be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, hepatitis B and C, and some other conditions.

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The American Society for Reproductive Medicine recommends a psychological evaluation and counseling for all sperm donors. It says donors should be of legal age and ideally under age 40. The FDA only requires anonymous donors to be screened for risk factors and evidence of communicable diseases. ASRM recommends other analyses to verify the donor is a good candidate.

Because the FDA only offers loose regulations and the ASRM’s guidelines are not requirements, Ahlering said his center only refers patients to donor centers that mandate the additional screening.

“Patients need to be sure to complete their independent research prior to selecting a donor,” he said.

“It is also [advisable] to work with a reputable fertility center,” Ahlering continued. “Unfortunately, many individuals will attempt fertility care on their own and, in doing so, take on a bigger risk.”

Dr. Martin Bastuba, scientific director and president of The Fertility Center of California, Sperm Bank Inc. in San Diego and Tustin, California, said donors at his clinic start the vetting process by completing a questionnaire that includes information on their habits and medical history. Then they have two evaluations to ensure specimens meet specific parameters that are higher than what is required by the FDA for donors.

“We employ several safeguards, but nothing is ever perfect,” Bastuba said.

Only about 1 in every 20 applicants makes it through the process.

If they are still in the running, they complete about 20 pages of detailed medical history, family history, and characteristics. Next, they head over to an independent lab for infectious disease and genetic testing. Then a national background check covers financial and criminal history.

“Staff will arbitrarily verify two or three parameters. If people say they’re in school, for example, we do ask for documentation — but will contact the school for confirmation,” Bastuba explained. “Anything that is public knowledge is fair game.”

Upon clearance, donors undergo a physical exam and complete a personality profile. Once everything is gathered, a full profile is created and reviewed by a team who can then accept or deny any patient. Only about 1 in every 20 applicants makes it through the process.

It is possible that a donor can still hide certain details. Bastuba said that if a patient were on medical marijuana for lower back pain, for example, “our program would disclose that the patient was on marijuana.”

People “need to have all of the information to make their decisions,” he added.