I find it hard to believe you can't find an article in your archives about that...
the early days of assisted reproductive technology were not without significant ethical and legal issues in Texas and the United States. A notable controversy that has come to light more recently involved a Texas fertility doctor who secretly used his own sperm to inseminate patients in the 1980s.
Fertility Fraud: One of the most shocking revelations to emerge from the widespread use of at-home DNA kits has been the discovery that some fertility doctors in the 1970s and 1980s used their own sperm without the knowledge or consent of their patients. A specific case in East Texas involved a doctor who, according to DNA records, fathered multiple children with his patients.
Lack of Regulation: At the time, there were very few, if any, laws or regulations in place to prevent such actions. There were no requirements for doctors to document sperm donors, and the practice was not considered a crime.
Ethical Violations: This type of "fertility fraud" represents a profound violation of medical ethics and informed consent. The victims, both the patients and the children who later discovered their true parentage, have been left to deal with the trauma and legal complexities of the situation. This led to a push for new laws to be passed that would make such actions a felony.
The East Texas doctor recently accused of secretly using his own sperm in IVF treatments during the 1970s and 1980s is
Dr. Kim McMorries, an OB-GYN and fertility specialist based in Nacogdoches, Texas AND TO THIS DAY STILL PRACTICES HERE.
McMorries admitted in emails that he used his own sperm to inseminate patients without their knowledge or consent, claiming it was standard practice at the time to keep donors anonymous. He said he began donating sperm while in medical school in the 1970s and later used his own sperm in treatments at his clinic in the 1980s
The revelations came to light through consumer DNA tests taken by individuals like
Jessica Stavena and
Eve Wiley, who discovered they were half-siblings and traced their biological father back to McMorries. Both women’s mothers had sought fertility treatment from him, believing they were using anonymous donor sperm from a California sperm bank. Instead, McMorries used his own sperm, sometimes mixing it with the selected donor’s sample in what he called “enhanced insemination”
Despite public outcry and multiple complaints filed with the Texas Medical Board, McMorries has continued to practice medicine. His case helped inspire Texas legislation in 2019 that criminalized fertility fraud, making it a felony for doctors to use their own sperm without patient consent. However, the law is not retroactive, so McMorries cannot be prosecuted under it for actions taken decades ago
Dr. Kim McMorries completed his
residency at Scott & White Memorial Hospital from 1977 to 1981
Baylor Health Care System (which included Baylor University Medical Center) and Scott & White Healthcare would eventually merge to form Baylor Scott & White Health, combining their resources, hospitals, and missions
