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Genetic testing

Anonymity of sperm donors under threat

Nature volume 496, page 169 (2013)Cite this article

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Personal genomics services are becoming popular for genealogical or ancestry-tracing purposes (see, for example, go.nature.com/scbwci). But this direct-to-consumer practice undermines promises of sperm-donor anonymity, which is still common in clinics in many countries (see also M. Angrist Nature 494, 7; 2013).

Adults conceived from donor sperm can now identify their biological fathers using DNA testing (see R. Lehmann-Haupt Slate, 1 March 2010). In doing so, they could be unwittingly infringing the gamete donor's constitutional right to privacy.

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  1. KU, Leuven, Belgium

    Pascal Borry & Olivia Rusu

  2. INSERM and University of Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier, France

    Heidi C. Howard

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  1. Pascal Borry
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  2. Olivia Rusu
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  3. Heidi C. Howard
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Correspondence to Pascal Borry.

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Borry, P., Rusu, O. & Howard, H. Anonymity of sperm donors under threat. Nature 496, 169 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/496169e

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