Personality/Socialibility

Dan A2

To what extent is mental health background information gathered from donor? How is this info gathered and verified?

Dan

Fairfax Cryobank

What kinds of genetic issues are screened for in the donor's health history?
All donors will have a three-generation family history reviewed by a geneticist. The family history will present information on illnesses and birth defects noted in the individual family members, causes of death, history of miscarriage or reproductive failure, and any known hereditary disorder. Any donor at an increased risk for a genetic or hereditary disorder above that expected in the general population, will be excluded. Examples of disorders that would exclude a donor include alcoholism in a first degree relative, a sibling with spina bifida, a donor with a medical condition such as a heart defect or diabetes, and mental illness or mental retardation in a first degree relative.

Donor Medical History Profiles:
Medical profiles provide detailed background medical, family history information on the donor, his siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. They also include genetic disease testing the donor had done during the screening process. Medical profiles are approximately 9-12 pages in length and give extensive medical history information including a list of medical conditions in relatives. See a sample of a medical profile here.

How do you verify information provided by the donors?
During the rigorous screening process we ask many of the same questions in several different formats to assess the validity of the donor's answers. We also make a copy of the donor's drivers' license and school transcripts. Any inconsistencies in the donor's answers exclude him from the donor program.