Many countries have banned the use of anonymous gametes, including Sweden, Austria, Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Ireland, the UK, and the Australian state of Victoria (Nelson et al., 2016). This ban is usually justified on the grounds that donor-conceived individuals have a “right to know” their gamete donor. Many argue that Canada should follow suit and also ban the use of anonymous gametes (see, for example, Guichon et al., 2012). In this presentation Olivia Schuman will argue that:

1. There are practical limitations and foreseeable negative consequences to such a policy that must be taken seriously, especially in the Canadian context

2. There may be overriding moral reasons for permitting anonymity

Olivia Schuman is a York University PhD student in the Philosophy Department. Her research interests are in bioethics, social philosophy, rights theory, political philosophy, and reproduction. She is currently looking at issues related to gamete donation and the "right to know" one's gamete donor.

Talk poster available here.