Sperm donor with hidden cancer gene fathers nearly 200 kids, families blindsided

A sperm donor whose samples helped conceive astir 200 children crossed Europe unknowingly carried a cancer-causing familial mutation — a hidden hazard present tied to aggregate puerility illnesses and aboriginal deaths.

An probe led by the BBC and galore different nationalist work broadcasters revealed that the donations were made to Denmark's European Sperm Bank (ESB). Those donations were past utilized by 67 fertility clinics successful 14 countries implicit a 17-year span.

The donor, who was not identified, was paid to donate arsenic a pupil opening successful 2005, according to the report.

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Although the donor passed the archetypal wellness screenings, helium had hidden familial mutations that damaged the TP53 gene, which helps to forestall crab by repairing DNA harm oregon trigger the decease of crab cells.

When TP53 is mutated, those protective functions are lost, which tin pb to uncontrolled compartment division, accumulation of mutations and tumor growth, probe has shown.

A sperm donor whose samples helped conceive astir 200 children crossed Europe (not pictured) unknowingly carried a cancer-causing familial mutation — a hidden hazard present tied to aggregate puerility illnesses and aboriginal deaths. (Getty Images)

Up to 20% of the man’s sperm would incorporate that mutated gene, and immoderate children conceived from that affected sperm would person the mutation successful each compartment of their body, the BBC study stated.

As a result, these children would person a 90% hazard of processing immoderate benignant of crab successful their lifetime, including bosom cancer, bony cancers, encephalon tumors and leukemia. This heightened hazard is known arsenic Li Fraumeni syndrome.

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Doctors raised these concerns astatine the yearly legislature of the European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG), which was held successful Milan successful May 2025.

At that conference, Edwige Kasper — a specializer successful crab genetics astatine Rouen University Hospital successful France — presented the lawsuit of the sperm donor whose familial worldly carried the harmful variant.

"This is the abnormal dissemination of familial disease. Not each antheral has 75 children crossed Europe."

It was reported that 23 children had been confirmed to person the variant astatine that time, 10 of which had already been diagnosed with cancer. 

The existent fig is apt overmuch higher, the study surmised, arsenic astatine slightest 197 children were calved from the donated sperm — but not each information has been collected. 

Kasper called for a bounds connected the fig of births oregon families for a azygous donor successful Europe.

"We can’t bash whole-genome sequencing for each sperm donors — I’m not arguing for that," she said. "But this is the abnormal dissemination of familial disease. Not each antheral has 75 children crossed Europe."

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She besides recommended that children calved from this donor’s sperm acquisition familial counseling.

"We person immoderate children that person already developed 2 antithetic cancers, and immoderate of them person already died astatine a precise aboriginal age," Kasper precocious told the investigators.

Up to 20% of the man’s sperm would incorporate that mutated gene, and immoderate children conceived from that affected sperm would person the mutation successful each compartment of their body, the BBC study stated. (iStock)

There is nary worldwide instrumentality that limits however galore times a donor’s sperm tin beryllium utilized oregon however galore children whitethorn beryllium calved from a azygous donor, according to the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE).

However, idiosyncratic countries whitethorn person their ain rules oregon guidelines surrounding sperm donor usage. The ESHRE precocious projected a headdress of 50 families per donor arsenic an planetary limit.

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Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News elder aesculapian analyst, commented connected these developments to Fox News Digital.

"This atrocious communicative emphasizes the increasing request for up-to-date familial screening for each donors," helium said. "It besides provides discourse for the thought that knowing the donor provides an advantage."

"This atrocious communicative emphasizes the increasing request for up-to-date familial screening for each donors," Dr. Marc Siegel said. (iStock)

"Genetic screening, including for oncogenes (genes that person the imaginable to origin cancer) is improving dramatically, and each usage of sperm donations indispensable see it," Siegel went on. 

He besides called for AI to beryllium utilized to amended and velocity up the process.

"When a propensity for illness is suspected, the sperm indispensable beryllium discarded," the doc added.

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In a connection sent to Fox News Digital, ​​the European Sperm Bank expressed "deepest sympathy" for the families involved.

"We are profoundly affected by the lawsuit and the interaction that the uncommon TP53 mutation has connected a fig of families, children and the donor. They person our deepest sympathy," the ESP said.

The American Society of Reproductive Medicine provided its guidance connected embryo and gamete donation, which stated successful portion that each prospective donors should acquisition "appropriate familial evaluation." (iStock)

"ESB tests and performs an idiosyncratic aesculapian appraisal of each donors successful afloat compliance with recognized and technological signifier and legislation."

In the lawsuit of this peculiar sperm donor with the TP53 mutation, the ESB noted that it occurs lone successful a tiny portion of the donor's sperm cells and not successful the remainder of the body.

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"In specified cases, the donor himself and his household members are not ill, and a mutation of this benignant is not detected preventively by familial screening," the bureau said.

When the ESB aboriginal confirmed the mutation successful 2023, the donor was "immediately blocked" and authorities and clinics were notified.

"Donors should beryllium steadfast and person nary past to suggest hereditary disease."

"The clinics are liable for informing the patients, partially due to the fact that we arsenic a sperm slope bash not needfully cognize the patients, and due to the fact that the patients' ain treating physicians are champion equipped to counsel them successful the circumstantial situation," the bureau stated.

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When contacted by Fox News Digital, the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) provided its guidance connected embryo and gamete donation, which stated successful portion that each prospective donors should acquisition "appropriate familial evaluation."

"Donors should beryllium steadfast and person nary past to suggest hereditary disease," the ASRM continued. 

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Parents with concerns are encouraged to interaction some their treating session and the applicable fertility authorization successful that country.