(CNN) Sperm donations from dead men is "ethically permissible," say doctors seeking to tackle the shortage of living donors in the UK.

A study published in the Journal of Medical Ethics Monday proposed that men should be able to "register their desire to donate their sperm after death for use by strangers."

Such a procedure would be similar to organ donation, authors Dr. Nathan Hodson of the University of Leicester and Dr. Joshua Parker of Manchester's Wythenshawe Hospital wrote in the study.

"If it is morally acceptable that individuals can donate their tissues to relieve the suffering of others in 'life-enhancing transplants' for diseases, we see no reason this cannot be extended to other forms of suffering like infertility, which may or may not also be considered a disease," the study says.

The mechanics of donating, they say, are entirely feasible through either electroejaculation or surgical methods.

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