Semen donor recruitment in an oocyte donation programme

The article presents a new system for the recruitment of gamete donors. The system is a partial application of the mirror exchange system: the male partner of a couple donates sperm, and in return, he receives the guarantee that his partner benefits from a greatly reduced waiting time for donor oocytes. More specifically, the woman will obtain donor oocytes within a period of 8 months. The procedure was very successful in recruiting sperm donors while avoiding the ethical objections raised against other incentives to attract donors. The data indicate that the system would also work to encourage IVF patients to share their oocytes.     

Variables which influence the selection of an egg donor.

We have analysed the different variables which affected the efficacy of egg donation in our assisted reproductive technology unit. Potential donors (n = 108) were divided into two groups. Group 1 comprised partial donor (PD) subjects who underwent assisted reproduction for the treatment of their infertility and who agreed altruistically to donate extra eggs not used during their own cycles (n = 31). Group 2 consisted of full donor (FD) subjects who donated all the eggs recovered during their ovarian stimulation cycle (n = 77) and included sister to sister donation, volunteers and patients undergoing diagnostic or sterilization laparoscopies. The entire donor population was divided into two sub-populations by age, those under 30 and 31-39 years old, and correlated with the pregnancy rate in their recipients. From this analysis, a higher pregnancy rate was observed when the oocytes were provided by the younger group of donors (54 versus 36%). We did not find a significant difference in the recipients' pregnancy rate, according to the previous reproductive performance of their donors. Even though FD and PD yield similar pregnancy rates during the fresh cycles, the availability of cryopreserved embryos in the former group enhances the cumulative pregnancy rate.     

A protocol for the recruitment and screening of semen donors for an artificial insemination by donor programme

This study outlines a structured protocol for the recruitmentand screening of semen donors for an artificial inseminationby donor programme. One-hundred-and-ninety-one potential semendonors were assessed. A step-wise analysis of these potentialsemen donors is presented, reasons for and rates of rejectionat each stage are documented and explained. The majority ofthe potential donors were rejected on the basis of unacceptablesemen analysis. A simple, structured approach to the assessmentof potential semen donors is proposed.     

Semen donor recruitment: a study of donors in two clinics

We report on a comparative study of semen donors at two London(UK) clinics which have different recruitment and payment policies.Results presented here include data on the demographic characteristics,motivations, means of recruitment and attitudes towards paymentsof the donors, as well as their disclosure to others about thedonation. Donors from the two clinics were found to differ onthe above points. Comparisons with other studies are made andimplications for donor recruitment are discussed.     

The 'double track' policy for donor anonymity

Although there is no evidence that any one policy is the best solution, clinics as well as legislators tend to impose one position about donor anonymity on all participants. The most evident alternative policy is to let the parties decide for themselves. Donors may choose between anonymity or identification and recipients can opt for an anonymous or identifiable donor. This 'double track' policy for anonymity represents the best attempt to balance the rights of donors, recipients and donor offspring. The procedure reflects the plurality of visions and the absence of an independent standard to decide which one is best.      

Ethics and society: Attitudes of parents of young children to sperm donation--implications for donor recruitment

An anonymous questionnaire was circulated to parents of youngchildren to survey exposure to publicity about and attitudesto sperm donation (n = 192 couples; 50% response rate). Of thosesurveyed, 55% of men and women had seen or heard of the needfor sperm donors; for 26% of couples, one or both partners hadconsidered donation, and among half of those (13% of total)no objections to donating were raised. However, only two menhad approached the clinic as donors. Objections to donationcentred mainly on discomfort at having children outside theirfamily, worry about future contact with donor insemination children,and worry about incest. Women were three times as likely toraise these objections as men. Of all respondents, 20% thoughta donor should be used for only one recipient couple, while50% suggested three or fewer families. Overall, 41% rated havingnon-identifying information about the recipient couple(s) asan important aspect of sperm donation, although only 9% of menand 17% of women considered personal contact important. Whilemany people are aware of and receptive to the idea of beingdonors, very few act. Many would prefer that their spermatozoawere used for only one or a few couples about whom they hadsome information.     

Cancer control policy in Australia

Australia has an evolving national cancer control agenda. In this paper, we review the history and development of cancer control policies in Australia up to the end of 2005, and discuss the principal publications produced by both government and non-government groups which have given rise to cancer control recommendations, goals and targets. These cancer control plans have arisen in response to the impact of cancer on the Australian community and in recognition of the health gains that can be made through effective cancer control. They have been developed either in the context of a broader framework of health policy or as specific endeavours in regard to cancer. The specific recommendations and strategies proposed have focused on reducing the impact of cancer in the Australian population. Most commonly, recommendations, goals, and targets within the cancer control plans have addressed points along the continuum of care, specific cancers, and frameworks and processes. The strength of these reports is their comprehensive approach in identifying priority cancers and areas where specific developments should impact on morbidity and mortality. In the future, cancer control plans should be better supported by economic evaluations, and greater financial support for implementation and regular assessment is needed to identify progress on cancer outcomes. The more recent national and State cancer control plans include the development of frameworks to foster a coordinated and cohesive approach to the delivery of cancer care. These plans represent important reforms in cancer care in Australia, and have the potential to reduce the impact of cancer on the community and improve health outcomes.     

Influenza immunization in egg allergy: an update for the 2011-2012 season

Flu vaccines contain detectable amounts of egg protein, which may pose a risk to egg-allergic individuals. The 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic required mass vaccination in many countries, and the safety of flu immunization in egg allergy became of increasing public health importance. This article reviews recent literature and provides an updated guideline for immunization during the 2011-2012 flu season. Recent experience suggests that some vaccines with very low ovalbumin concentrations may be safe for use in primary care in carefully assessed low-risk individuals.     

Age-related functional recruitment for famous name recognition: an event-related fMRI study

Recent neuroimaging research shows that older adults exhibit recruitment, or increased activation on various cognitive tasks. The current study evaluated whether a similar pattern also occurs in semantic memory by evaluating age-related differences during recognition of Recent (since the 1990s) and Enduring (1950s to present) famous names. Fifteen healthy older and 15 healthy younger adults performed the name recognition task with a high and comparable degree of accuracy, although older adults had slower reaction time in response to Recent famous names. Event-related functional MRI showed extensive networks of activation in the two groups including posterior cingulate, right hippocampus, temporal lobe and left prefrontal regions. The Recent condition produced more extensive activation than the Enduring condition. Older adults had more extensive and greater magnitude of activation in 15 of 20 regions, particularly for the Recent condition (15 of 15; 7 of 15 also differed for Enduring); young adults did not show greater activation magnitude in any region. There were no group differences for non-famous names, indicating that age differences are task-specific. The results support and extend the existing literature to semantic memory tasks, indicating that older adult brains use functional recruitment to support task performance, even when task performance accuracy is high.