Written question asked by Tim Loughton (Conservative) on Friday, 28 March 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 9 April 2003. It was answered by Hazel Blears (Labour) on Wednesday, 9 April 2003 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether sperm donors are tested for AAT Deficiency.

Answer: Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether sperm donors are tested for AAT Deficiency. [106604] Ms Blears: Sperm donation is regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). The HFEA code of practice expects clinics recruiting donors to take all reasonable steps to prevent the transmission of serious genetic disorders by taking a thorough medical history from the prospective donor. Where the medical history of a prospective donor indicates there may be a risk of the transmission of alpha-antitrpsin (AAT) deficiency, screening for the disorder will usually be carried out. Guidelines on appropriate genetic tests for sperm donors have been produced by the British Andrology Society and incorporated into the HFEA code of practice.

Secondary information