Sperm donors who provided samples to impregnate nearly 200 children across Europe unknowingly carried carcinogens genetic mutation – Hidden risks are now linked to multiple childhood illnesses and early death.
An investigation led by the BBC and a number of other public broadcasters revealed that the donation was made to the European Sperm Bank (ESB) in Denmark. Those donations were then used by 67 people. Fertility treatment clinic In 14 countries over 17 years.
The donor, who was not identified, had been receiving donations as a student since 2005, according to the report.
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The donor passed the initial medical examination, but kept it a secret. genetic mutation This damaged the TP53 gene, which helps prevent cancer by repairing DNA damage or causing cancer cell death.
Studies have shown that mutations in TP53 can result in loss of these protective functions, leading to uncontrolled cell division, accumulation of mutations, and tumor growth.
Up to 20% of a man’s sperm contains the mutated gene, and children conceived from affected sperm will have the mutation in every cell in their body. BBC coverage said.
As a result, these children have a 90% risk of developing some type of cancer during their lifetime, including breast cancer, bone cancer, and breast cancer. brain tumor And leukemia. This increased risk is known as Li-Fraumeni syndrome.
Doctors raised these concerns at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG) in Milan in May 2025.
At the conference, Edwig Kasper, a cancer genetics expert at France’s Rouen University Hospital, presented the case of a sperm donor whose genetic material contained a harmful mutation.
At the time, it was reported that 23 children were confirmed to be infected with the variant, 10 of whom were already infected. diagnosed with cancer.
At least 197 children were born from donated sperm, and the report estimates the actual number is probably much higher, although not all data was collected.
Kasper called for limits on the number of births and family sizes per donor in Europe.
“You can’t sequence the entire genome of every sperm donor. I’m not advocating that,” she said. “But this is an extraordinary prevalence of a genetic disease. Not every man across Europe has 75 children.”
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She also recommended children born You will receive genetic counseling from this donor’s sperm.
“There are children who have already developed two different cancers, and some of them are already dying at a very early age,” Kasper recently told investigators.
There is There is no global law According to the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), this limits the number of times a donor’s sperm can be used and the number of children a single donor can produce.
However, each country may have its own rules and guidelines regarding the use of sperm donors. ESHRE recently proposed: Maximum of 50 families per donor As an international restriction.
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Dr. Mark Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News, commented on these developments to Fox News Digital.
“This terrible story highlights the growing need for modern genetic screening of all donors,” he said. “This also provides context for the idea that knowing the donor is an advantage.”
“Genetic screening, including oncogenes (genes that can cause cancer), has improved dramatically and should be included in all uses of sperm donation,” Siegel continued.
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“If a disease trend is suspected, the sperm must be discarded,” the doctor added.
In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, the European Sperm Bank expressed its “deepest sympathies” to the families of those involved.
“We are deeply affected by this case and the impact the rare TP53 mutation has had on so many families, children and donors. Our deepest sympathies go out to them,” ESP said.
“ESB examines and performs individual medical evaluations of all donors in full compliance with accepted scientific practices and legislation.”
In the case of this particular sperm donor with the TP53 mutation, the ESB noted that it only occurs in a small portion of the gene. donor sperm cells It is not found in other parts of the body.
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“In these cases, the donor or his or her family is not sick, and this type of mutation would not be detected preventively through genetic screening,” the agency said.
Then, in 2023, when the ESB confirmed the mutation, the donor was “immediately blocked” and authorities and clinics were notified.
“Clinics have a responsibility to provide information to their patients, partly because we as sperm banks don’t necessarily know the patients, and partly because the patients themselves know. treating doctor are best equipped to advise them in specific situations,” the agency said.
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In an interview with Fox News Digital, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) provided guidance on embryo and gamete donation, which states in part that all prospective donors should undergo “appropriate genetic evaluation.”
“The donor should be healthy and have no medical history suggestive of genetic disease,” ASRM continued.
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Concerned parents are advised to contact both the treatment clinic and the relevant fertility authority in their country.
