Fertility Clinics Face Controversy Over Cancer-Causing Sperm Donor

Wed Dec 10 2025 10:24:26 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

An investigation reveals that a sperm donor with a mutation increasing cancer risk has fathered nearly 200 children, raising serious health concerns.

A recent investigation has uncovered alarming revelations about a sperm donor who unknowingly carried a cancer-causing mutation, resulting in at least 197 offspring across Europe. This case has sparked heightened scrutiny over sperm donor screening processes and the potential health risks faced by the children conceived from his sperm, especially those inheriting the TP53 gene mutation linked to a significantly increased cancer risk.

A sperm donor who unknowingly harbored a genetic mutation that dramatically raises the risk of cancer has fathered at least 197 children across Europe, a major investigation has revealed.

Some children have already died, and only a minority of those who inherit the mutation will escape cancer in their lifetimes.

The sperm was not sold to UK clinics, but the BBC can confirm a very small number of British families, who have been informed, used the donor's sperm while undergoing fertility treatment in Denmark.

Denmark's European Sperm Bank, which sold the sperm, expressed their deepest sympathy to the affected families and admitted that the sperm had been used to create too many babies in certain countries.

The investigation, conducted by 14 public service broadcasters including the BBC, revealed that the donor, a student who began donating in 2005, underwent successful screening checks and appeared healthy at the time. However, before his birth, some of his DNA mutated, impacting the TP53 gene, crucial in preventing cells from becoming cancerous.

Up to 20% of the donor's sperm carries the dangerous TP53 mutation, meaning any children conceived with affected sperm would inherit the mutation in every cell of their bodies. This condition is known to increase cancer risk significantly, particularly during childhood.

Prof Clare Turnbull, a cancer geneticist, noted the severe implications of this mutation, often requiring children to undergo annual scans and preventative surgeries.

In Denmark, the number of children born from this donor far exceeded the recommended limits set by various countries, with one report indicating that in Belgium, the donor was linked to at least 53 births.

This alarming situation has raised further discussions about the adequacy of sperm donor screening protocols worldwide. Experts assert that although screening is essential, it cannot guarantee the complete safety of sperm donations, highlighting the need for stricter regulations and better methods for tracking donor efficacy.

Families impacted by this revelation, particularly in countries where the donor's sperm was utilized, are left grappling with the uncertainty of their children's health and future.