Donor 9623: Part One Podcast with Dov Fox cover art

Donor 9623: Part One

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Donor 9623: Part One

By: Dov Fox
Narrated by: Dov Fox
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About this listen

When scores of aspiring parents turned to the fertility industry to start families, they chose a remarkable young man to be the biological father of their children. He was a music prodigy and gifted athlete who had a genius IQ, movie star looks, and perfect health.

Except it was all a lie.

In this tour de force of investigative reporting, host Dov Fox unravels the case of Donor 9623, examining the complex forces and competing agendas behind the biggest reproductive hoax of our time. The story is dark, propulsive - and in an unexpected turn - hopeful. This Audible Original exposes the billion-dollar industry that creates hundreds of thousands of babies every year, through unprecedented access to its key players - and to Donor 9623 himself.

The 8-episode series raises hard questions about what we want when we set out to have kids - and what happens when we don’t get it. It places us in the grip of life lived with crushing uncertainty. And unsettles our deepest understanding of what it means to be human.

The saga continues in Part Two, released in June 2023.

©2020 Dov Fox (P)2020 Audible Original Con Artists, Hoaxes & Deceptions True Crime
Episodes
  • Episode 1

    Episode 1
    Aug 31 2020
    A family struggles with a troubled son, who makes a startling discovery about his biological father, opening up a world of deceit.
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    20 mins
  • Episode 2

    Episode 2
    Aug 31 2020
    Moms around the world join forces to uncover the real identity of the anonymous man they all chose to have a child with, learning that scores of others out there used the same donor.
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    27 mins
  • Episode 3

    Episode 3
    Aug 31 2020
    Disturbing new details emerge from the moms’ quest for the truth. How could this deception go undetected for so long? And what did the sperm bank know? Its former CEO weighs in
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    26 mins

Check out the trailer for Donor 9623

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About the Creator and Performer - Dov Fox

About the Creator and Performer

Dov Fox is the Herzog Research Professor of Law at the University of San Diego, where he founded and directs the Center for Health Law Policy & Bioethics. Named professor of the year for both teaching excellence and outstanding scholarship, he also holds the university’s highest academic honor bestowed on faculty in any field. Fox’s articles have been published in leading journals of law (e.g., Harvard Law Review, Yale Law Journal), medicine (e.g., New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association), and public health (e.g., Foreign Affairs, American Journal of Public Health). His work has also been featured in major newspapers (e.g., New York Times, Wall Street Journal), magazines (e.g., The Atlantic, The Economist), and television programs (e.g., CBS This Morning, NBC Today Show). Part One of his original series Donor 9623 was named Audible’s #1 podcast of 2020 and submitted for a Pulitzer Prize in investigative journalism. Fox’s latest book, Birth Rights and Wrongs: How Medicine and Technology are Remaking Reproduction and the Law, was published by Oxford University Press. His next book is The Conscience of Care: Policing the Boundaries of Health in Post-Roe America.
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I had absolutely no idea the complexity of sperm donation(s). This series dives into and breaks down many prospectives: families, children, donor, lawyers, as well as the business. Interviews are very respectful and does not necessarily vilify any particular person or entity. After listening to the entire series, I don't think there was any initial ill intent by any person or persons regardless of where they stood. Very emotional and curious to know what the future may hold for all affected.

Fascinating series.

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Very interesting. Will have you hooked. You will sympathize for the people involved and it will make you think about the way you look at mental health stigmas.

Binged whole story

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Well done. Fascinating. Thought provoking. Content doesn't really get much better than this. I thought once I knew the premise I didn't need to listen, but this is well done and worth a listen.

Great content.

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I thought I knew the story and where it was going. I was right, but I was also wrong. Intriguing, balanced, and important in this time of many reproductive possibilities. Thank you to the families, Dov Fox, and finally, to Chris.

Fascinating

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I couldn't stop listening to this once I started.
Wow, I had no idea how little this procedure is regulated. I was absolutely shocked listening.
Very thought provoking and also very sad.

Cringeworthy and Bingeworthy

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The lack of oversight is appalling. I'm not sure that I am one who would use donor sperm, but if I were in the position of the parents who did and later found out my child may have a genetic disposition to mental health issues, I WOULD BE LIVID.

Eye-Opening!

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The journalist was very sensitive and compassionate in his digging into this story and did great reserving judgement. This story puts a spotlight on the inner workings of the sperm donor industry and brings up important questions and lessons for them and other medical professions. A great reminder to hold tightly to empathy and kindness. The perspectives are enlightening and the resolution of Chris’ story was touching.

Great lessons to be learned

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Very good series. My only criticism is that it felt like it could have been a little shorter. Occasionally, it felt like things were being repeated over and over again. But that is a pretty minor criticism. Again, very good podcast.

Very Good.

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What a good job the journalist did in allowing his audience to see that everyone connected were complex, real human beings-- and do so with great clarity and compassion.

This listen is not what you may expect

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This was so informative. I loved how the author presented multiple sides to this story. I highly recommend listening to this podcast, especially if you are considering Artificial Reproduction Technology (ART). It really made me consider how sperm and egg donor companies are more concerned about profit than actually helping people at what could be one of the most vulnerable times of their lives.

Informative and Touching

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