DCN statement on new Netflix documentary, ‘The Man with 1000 Kids’

Most countries and clinics have some kind of limit on how often a donor can be used. In the UK, the law limits the number of families that can be created by a donor at a clinic to a maximum of 10.

From listening to the donor conceived people in our Network, we know that having very large numbers of half siblings can be exhausting, overwhelming and sometimes distressing. Family limits were introduced in part to protect the wellbeing of these donor conceived children.

Jonathan Jacob Meijer, the subject of a new Netflix documentary, ‘The Man With 1000 Kids’, donated to both individuals and clinics all over the world creating hundreds of children. In the process, he misled many of the families he was supposed to be helping and sometimes outright lied to recipients and clinics. It is shocking that someone could be so cavalier and dishonest when helping to create children, and we sincerely sympathise with any families who have been negatively affected.

So much of the donor conception world relies on trust. We believe that this case highlights the need for greater transparency and communication between clinics and countries. We also encourage any prospective parents who are considering using a donor outside of the clinic framework to take their time and do plenty of research before taking this route.

At the Donor Conception Network, we provide support, information and a community for anyone building, or thinking about building, their family using a donor, and any parents affected by the issues raised in this documentary are welcome to contact us on +44 (0)20 7278 2608.