A Father? A Father's Choice?

Here's an article about the failure of one UK facility to follow the informed consent preferences of a sperm donor. I wasn't aware that donors could specify the type of families would receive their sperm.

Some of the comments in the article and the responses are heart-breaking revelations about the effect of finding out that Dad was an anonymous donor. But, I wonder if there are just as many devastating stories from children whose parent or parents abandoned them and/or refused to acknowledge them.


However, it seems to be a part of human nature to want to know where we came from and why we're here. The recurrent reports about several children - siblings - who inherited a genetic disease from an anonymous donor points out the health risks.(here and here, for instance)

The desire to be a parent can lead to tough choices and even tougher consequences. This is one of those hard questions. In the case of purposefully created children, how much regulation is necessary? Is it ethically permissable to help start children when you never intend to be a true father?