The importation of frozen donor sperm into Canada is highly regulated. Six pages of testing documentation are required that show the specimen is free of HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. These requirements make Canada’s semen regulations some of the strictest in the world.
Surprisingly, donated frozen oocytes (eggs) are not subject to the same rules and regulations.
Semen donation has been around longer than oocyte donation, therefore the regulatory guidelines have also been in place longer.
Due to recent changes in the federal and provincial regulation of reproductive medicine, oocyte transport has fallen through the cracks. As a result, it is essentially unregulated.
Oocytes being imported into Canada do not require documentation showing that the donor passed health or genetic screening. Therefore, the recipients cannot be assured that the material they receive is safe.
Fertility experts support regulation of occyte importation in order to ensure safety for the recipients of the material.
Original news article:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/04/27/egg-sperm-fertility-freezing-border-rules.html
