We are overjoyed to finally introduce Nick Isel as our next guest on Venus Rising. At age 15, Nick learned that he and his sister were donor-conceived. Nick is one of 215 babies known infamously as “Nobel babies,” who are products of eugenicist Robert Graham’s Repository for Germinal Choice, a California-based sperm bank known as “The Nobel Bank”, claiming to only accept “genius” sperm specimens.

Nick was featured prominently in the book Genius Factory as a teenager under the pseudonym “Tom Legare.”  The author “David Plotz” interviewed him about his experiences growing up as a progeny of the Repository for Germinal Choice. Nick has also been featured in Esquire Magazine, NPR Snap Judgement, This is Life with Lisa Ling, and a short documentary titled The Need to Know.   

Importantly, Nick is now an advocate for the rights of the donor-conceived community and recently filed a citizen’s petition to the US FDA regarding ending donor anonymity for sperm/egg donation establishments and increasing regulations and oversight. Specifically, Nick, wants donor-conceived children to have access to medical information, including information about plausible genetic diseases. This petition is still under review and is available for your comment here.

Today we get a unique opportunity to talk candidly with Nick about his advocacy work and this important petition he authored.  

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