Central donor register to store genetic details

Pregnant woman looking at ultrasound. | Newsreel
A new register will store genetic details of donor-conceived Queenslanders. | Photo: Adene Sanchez

A centralised register will be created to store the genetic details of every child conceived by a donor in Queensland over the past 50 years.

It is part of a suite of inclusions in a proposed Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill being developed by the State Government.

State Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said the bill would also include a licensing system for ART providers.

“This will provide Queensland Health with compliance and enforcement powers it doesn’t currently have,” Minister Fentiman said.

“This will allow them to inspect premises, impose conditions, suspend, or cancel an ART provider’s licence who is not complying with regulations and prohibit providers from providing ART services.”

Minister Fentiman said the $2 million central donor conception register, with information on every child conceived by a donor in the past 50 years, would ensure donor-conceived people had access to a full picture of their genetic origins.

“This will allow families to have a full history and clear picture of their donor,” she said.

“It will also provide counselling services to support applicants through a process that we know has significant sensitivities and emotional impacts.”