A U.S.-based sperm bank says it didn't verify the information of a donor that is at the heart of a lawsuit by a Canadian couple who allege they weren't told their donor was a schizophrenic with a criminal record.
In an open letter, the president of Xytex Corp. says that after a careful review of its records, the company has determined that the couple's claims "do not reflect" the information the donor provided to Xytex.
Port Hope, Ont., residents Angela Collins and Margaret Elizabeth Hanson allege that Xytex Corp. told them their choice of donor was a healthy man with multiple degrees who was "among their best donors."
In a statement of claim filed with a Georgia court, the couple alleges they only accidentally learned the identity of their donor after their son was born, and through their own research realized the man was a college dropout who had been arrest for burglary at one point and had schizophrenia.
But Xytex president Kevin M. O'Brien says the couple's donor underwent a "standard medical exam" and provided "extensive personal and health information."
O'Brien says the man reported "a good health history" — information which was passed on to the couple who were clearly told that those representations came from the donor and "were not verified by Xytex."
"You can imagine our concern when a lawsuit was filed last week that accused us of misleading a client. We want to assure you that this is simply not true," O'Brien wrote in his letter.
"We stand by the process we followed, and intend to vigorously defend ourselves against the allegations in this lawsuit. In the meantime, we remain committed to providing clients with excellent service and upholding the highest practices and standards in the business."
