One donor, collaborating with European clinics for seventeen years, became the biological father of approximately 200 children across various nations. Later, it emerged that the man carried a rare and fatal genetic mutation, increasing the likelihood of certain cancers at an early age.
The startling account surfaced in the media due to an inquiry conducted by 14 publications. Several children have already passed away, and many families endure terrifying apprehension regarding their children’s lives.
The donor started providing his biological material in Copenhagen in 2005. Standard screenings did not reveal any abnormalities, as tests for uncommon mutations were not included in the mandatory examination list. The donor’s biomaterial was distributed via the largest Danish sperm bank and utilized in 67 clinics.
The tragedy also brought up the problem of using genetic material from a single person. Certain countries have limits on the number of families that can be established from one donor (for instance, 10 in the United Kingdom and 6 in Belgium). However, these regulations apply only locally. There is no international oversight, allowing the donor’s semen to circulate freely across dozens of countries.
Researchers now intend to locate all children conceived using the donor’s sperm and arrange for them to receive all necessary medical evaluations.
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