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HomeBusiness and Professions CodeDiv. 2Ch. 5Art. 12§ 2260 Sperm Or Ova Donation Consent

§ 2260 Sperm Or Ova Donation Consent

Business and Professions Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 2260 Sperm Or Ova Donation Consent

Key Takeaways

  • •Doctors must get written permission from a patient before using their sperm or eggs for anything other than putting them back in the same patient or their spouse.
  • •The permission must be in writing, say what the sperm or eggs will be used for, and what happens to any leftovers.
  • •Both the patient and the doctor must sign the permission form, and the patient gets a copy to keep.
  • •If a doctor doesn’t follow these rules, they can get in big trouble, like paying a fine between $1,000 and $5,000.

Example

A woman goes to the doctor to have her eggs removed for fertility treatment.

Before the doctor can use her eggs for anything, like giving them to someone else, the woman must sign a paper saying it’s okay. If the doctor doesn’t get her to sign this paper, they could get fined.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 2260 Sperm Or Ova Donation Consent

(a) A physician and surgeon who removes sperm or ova from a patient shall, before the sperm or ova are used for a purpose other than reimplantation in the same patient or implantation in the spouse of the patient, obtain the written consent of the patient as provided in subdivision (b). (b) The consent required by subdivision (a) shall conform to all of the following requirements: (1) The consent shall be in writing and shall contain the following statement: I (name of donor) do hereby donate (type and number, if applicable, of sperm or ova), to (name of clinic or other donee) for (specify purpose). (2) The consent shall contain a statement by the donor that specifies the disposition of any unused donated material. (3) The consent shall be signed by the patient and by the physician and surgeon who removes the sperm or ova. (4) The physician and surgeon shall retain the original consent in the medical record of the patient and give a copy of the consent to the patient. (5) The consent shall contain a notification to the patient that the written consent is an important document that should be retained with other vital records. (6) If the procedure to remove the sperm or ova is performed in a hospital, the physician and surgeon shall provide a copy of the consent to the hospital. (c) Nothing in this section shall affect the obligation of a physician and surgeon under current law to obtain the informed consent of a patient before performing a medical procedure on the patient that may significantly affect the patient’s reproductive health or ability to conceive, or both. (d) A violation of this section constitutes unprofessional conduct. Section 2314 shall not apply to this section. (e) A physician and surgeon who fails, for the second time, to obtain any consent required in subdivision (a) or (b) before transferring sperm or ova from a provider of sperm or ova to a recipient, shall be assessed a civil penalty in an amount not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) and not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) plus court costs, as determined by the court, which penalty and costs shall be paid to the individual whose required consent was not obtained. A separate penalty shall be assessed for each individual from whom the consent was not obtained. The penalties in this section shall be available in addition to any other remedies that may be available under other provisions of law. (Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 183, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2005.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

physicianobligationmedicalhospitalpatienthealthpenaltyport

Related Statutes

  • § 2225.5 Patient Record Release Penalties
  • § 2242.1 Internet Prescription Drug Restrictions
  • § 2052.5 Eligible Patient Telehealth Consent
  • § 2216.3 Outpatient Adverse Event Reporting
  • § 2234 Licensee Unprofessional Conduct Rules

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Business and Professions Code. Section 2260.
View Official Source