Gamete donation: when does consent become irrevocable?

At what stage is consent for the use of donated gametes irrevocable? This question can be understood in two different ways, as a legal question, at what stage is consent for the use of donated gametes legally irrevocable and as an ethical question, when, if at all, is it morally wrong to withdraw consent? Arguably, moral questions are always open to interpretation, however, until recently in Victoria, Australia, so too was the legal question. This article addresses both questions with reference to the current legislation in Victoria and in the light of a recent instance of a sperm donor in Victoria who sought to withdraw consent after embryos had been formed from his donation. This case is used to highlight the difficulties with the legislation in Victoria and the ethical issues that underlie attempts to resolve competing claims over gametes and embryos.