March 29, 2024

Sperm bank to add criminal check and thorough psych assessment to screening process

It’s about time, some will say

A leading sperm bank, California Cryobank, has become the first in the industry to add a clinical psychological assessment and criminal background check to a standard donor screening process.

The donor sperm industry has traditionally operated without the use of a formal psychological screening component.

“We believe in robust screening as well as quality informed consent”, says Cryobank Medical Director Jaime Shamonki. “Our screening process selects for the most committed, altruistic, and informed donors.”

California Cryobank is also one of the first sperm banks to implement criminal background checks as a standard part of the donor screening process.

“We have heard from more and more clients in the last few years that psychological screening is something they would truly value. This is just one more way we can continue to help create happy, healthy families,” adds Scott Brown, Director of Customer Experience.

One reason for Cryobank’s move may be a public relations disaster last year which dented the industry’s reputation. Xytec Corp, a sperm bank based in Atlanta which is even older than Cryobank, is being sued for misrepresenting the character of a donor whose sperm led to the birth of at least 36 children in Canada, the US and Britain. He was described on Xytec’s website as a man with an IQ of 160, an internationally acclaimed drummer and a PhD student in neuroscience engineering. In reality he was a convicted criminal with several mental illness diagnoses including schizophrenia, narcissistic personality disorder and grandiose delusions. 

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