Latest news with #EuropeanSpermBank
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Sperm donor's genetic mutation linked to cancer in 10 conceived children
Sperm from a single donor in Europe has reportedly been used to conceive at least 67 pregnancies, although the donor carried a rare cancer-causing mutation. The donor's mutation has been linked to cancer diagnoses in 10 of these children, according to a report by The Guardian. The case was brought to light after two families separately contacted their fertility clinics after their children's cancer diagnoses were linked to a rare genetic variant called TP53. Prostate Cancer Risk Increases By 45% Among Men Who Share One Troubling Behavior A mutation in the TP53 gene causes Li-Fraumeni syndrome, which increases the risk of developing cancer. Cleveland Clinic states that this disorder comes with a 90% chance of developing some type of cancer by age 60, and a 50% chance by the age of 40. The European Sperm Bank, the sperm supplier, confirmed that this variant was present in some of the donor's sperm. Read On The Fox News App The Guardian reported that the rare variant was "not known to be linked to cancer at the time of donation in 2008." The genetic variant reportedly would not have been detectable through standard screening, and the donor is said to currently be in good health. Dr Edwige Kasper, a biologist at Rouen University Hospital in France, presented this case at the European Society of Human Genetics' annual conference in Milan last week, commenting on the need for a European limit on the number of births or families for a single donor. "We can't do whole-genome sequencing for all sperm donors – I'm not arguing for that," she told The Guardian. "But this is the abnormal dissemination of genetic disease. Not every man has 75 children across Europe." 4 Troubling Cancer Trends You Must Know About In 2025 Kasper analyzed the mutation in her lab, concluding that it was most likely cancer-causing and that children born from this donor should "receive genetic counseling." The research-turned-investigation tracked down 67 children from 46 families in eight European countries. The children were tested, with the variant detected in 23 of them. The 10 who had been diagnosed with cancer reportedly included cases of leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, the European Sperm Bank stated that donor-assisted reproduction "generally remains a significantly safer alternative" than reproduction without genetic screening. The bank added that sperm donors undergo a "comprehensive health screening," which includes an in-depth medical examination, a review of the donor's family medical history and "extensive" testing for genetic and infectious diseases. "However, it's not possible to rule out all risks — and, in this particular case, the identified mutation is one that could not have been detected by the screening methods we use in accordance with regulations and would require specialized genetic testing," the group noted. Julie Paulli Budtz, VP. of corporate communications at the European Sperm Bank, expressed to Fox News Digital that they are "deeply affected by this case." Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "The donor has been thoroughly tested even beyond the required standards, but preventative genetic screening is reaching its limits here," she said. "Every human being has about 20,000 genes, and it is scientifically simply not possible to detect disease-causing mutations in a person's gene pool if you don't know what you are looking for." Budtz noted that the European Sperm Bank welcomes "continued dialogue" regarding setting an "internationally binding family limit," which they have advocated for "on several occasions, also at EU level." "This is also why, in addition to complying with national pregnancy limits, we have proactively implemented our own international limit of 75 families per donor," she added. In the U.S., there is no official legal limit on how many sperm donations one man can make. However, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommends that donors are limited to 25 live births within each population area of 800,000 people. "Institutions, clinics and sperm banks should maintain sufficient records to allow a limit to be set for the number of pregnancies for which a given donor is responsible," the ASRM states on its website. California Cryobank, which has claimed to have the largest selection of sperm and egg donations in the country, states on its website that it closely monitors donors to limit the total number of family units to 20 to 30 worldwide. "Limiting donor vials is an important part of the process," the bank noted. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) requires that all sperm donors undergo a physical exam, complete a questionnaire, provide their medical history, and undergo screenings for infectious diseases at an FDA-approved lab. In addition, the ASRM suggests that donors undergo psychological and genetic screening, and also recommends infectious-disease testing of the recipient and the recipient's sexually intimate partners, per its website. For more Health articles, visit "Legal consultation and laws may vary by state," the organization notes. At California Cryobank, donors must be tested for infectious diseases, undergo genetic screening, get a psychological assessment and criminal background check, and receive screening for the Zika virus, according to the bank's article source: Sperm donor's genetic mutation linked to cancer in 10 conceived children
Fox News
5 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
Sperm donor's genetic mutation linked to cancer in 10 conceived children
Sperm from a single donor in Europe has reportedly been used to conceive at least 67 pregnancies, although the donor carried a rare cancer-causing mutation. The donor's mutation has been linked to cancer diagnoses in 10 of these children, according to a report by The Guardian. The case was brought to light after two families separately contacted their fertility clinics after their children's cancer diagnoses were linked to a rare genetic variant called TP53. A mutation in the TP53 gene causes Li-Fraumeni syndrome, which increases the risk of developing cancer. Cleveland Clinic states that this disorder comes with a 90% chance of developing some type of cancer by age 60, and a 50% chance by the age of 40. The European Sperm Bank, the sperm supplier, confirmed that this variant was present in some of the donor's sperm. The Guardian reported that the rare variant was "not known to be linked to cancer at the time of donation in 2008." The genetic variant reportedly would not have been detectable through standard screening, and the donor is said to currently be in good health. "The identified mutation is one that could not have been detected by the screening methods we use in accordance with regulations." Dr Edwige Kasper, a biologist at Rouen University Hospital in France, presented this case at the European Society of Human Genetics' annual conference in Milan last week, commenting on the need for a European limit on the number of births or families for a single donor. "We can't do whole-genome sequencing for all sperm donors – I'm not arguing for that," she told The Guardian. "But this is the abnormal dissemination of genetic disease. Not every man has 75 children across Europe." Kasper analyzed the mutation in her lab, concluding that it was most likely cancer-causing and that children born from this donor should "receive genetic counseling." The research-turned-investigation tracked down 67 children from 46 families in eight European countries. The children were tested, with the variant detected in 23 of them. The 10 who had been diagnosed with cancer reportedly included cases of leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, the European Sperm Bank stated that donor-assisted reproduction "generally remains a significantly safer alternative" than reproduction without genetic screening. The bank added that sperm donors undergo a "comprehensive health screening," which includes an in-depth medical examination, a review of the donor's family medical history and "extensive" testing for genetic and infectious diseases. "However, it's not possible to rule out all risks — and, in this particular case, the identified mutation is one that could not have been detected by the screening methods we use in accordance with regulations and would require specialized genetic testing," the group noted. Julie Paulli Budtz, VP. of corporate communications at the European Sperm Bank, expressed to Fox News Digital that they are "deeply affected by this case." "The donor has been thoroughly tested even beyond the required standards, but preventative genetic screening is reaching its limits here," she said. "Every human being has about 20,000 genes, and it is scientifically simply not possible to detect disease-causing mutations in a person's gene pool if you don't know what you are looking for." Budtz noted that the European Sperm Bank welcomes "continued dialogue" regarding setting an "internationally binding family limit," which they have advocated for "on several occasions, also at EU level." "This is also why, in addition to complying with national pregnancy limits, we have proactively implemented our own international limit of 75 families per donor," she added. In the U.S., there is no official legal limit on how many sperm donations one man can make. However, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommends that donors are limited to 25 live births within each population area of 800,000 people. "Institutions, clinics and sperm banks should maintain sufficient records to allow a limit to be set for the number of pregnancies for which a given donor is responsible," the ASRM states on its website. "Limiting donor vials is an important part of the process." California Cryobank, which has claimed to have the largest selection of sperm and egg donations in the country, states on its website that it closely monitors donors to limit the total number of family units to 20 to 30 worldwide. "Limiting donor vials is an important part of the process," the bank noted. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) requires that all sperm donors undergo a physical exam, complete a questionnaire, provide their medical history, and undergo screenings for infectious diseases at an FDA-approved lab. In addition, the ASRM suggests that donors undergo psychological and genetic screening, and also recommends infectious-disease testing of the recipient and the recipient's sexually intimate partners, per its website. For more Health articles, visit "Legal consultation and laws may vary by state," the organization notes. At California Cryobank, donors must be tested for infectious diseases, undergo genetic screening, get a psychological assessment and criminal background check, and receive screening for the Zika virus, according to the bank's website.
Indian Express
29-05-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Sperm donor with cancer-linked mutation fathered 67 children across Europe; 10 diagnosed with cancer
A sperm donor carrying a rare genetic mutation associated with a high risk of cancer has fathered at least 67 children across Europe, with 10 of them now diagnosed with cancers including brain tumours and Hodgkin lymphoma, according to researchers speaking at a genetics conference in Milan. The donor, who remains healthy, carried a mutation in the TP53 gene, which can cause Li-Fraumeni syndrome—a hereditary condition that significantly raises the risk of developing cancer early in life. The mutation was undetected at the time of donation. 'This is heavy and stressful for carriers,' said Edwige Kasper, a biologist at Rouen University Hospital in France, who presented the findings at the European Society of Human Genetics annual conference. 'But we have seen [surveillance] enable early detection of tumours and thus improved patients' chances of survival.' According to Kasper, children conceived using the donor's sperm were born between 2008 and 2015 to 46 families in eight European countries: France, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Greece, and the United Kingdom. Thirteen of the donor-conceived children carry the mutation but have not developed cancer so far. They now require lifelong monitoring, including regular MRI scans and clinical evaluations due to their elevated risk and a 50% chance of passing the mutation to their own offspring. The donor had contributed exclusively to European Sperm Bank, a private facility based in Denmark. 'At the heart of the problem seems to lie the regulation, or maybe the lack of regulation, of the number of births by a single donor,' Kasper said. The European Sperm Bank responded in a statement to CNN, acknowledging the situation as troubling. 'The donor has been thoroughly tested even above the required standards,' said Julie Paulli Budtz, the bank's vice president of corporate communications. 'But preventative genetic screening is reaching its limits here. It's scientifically not possible to detect disease-causing mutations in every gene unless you know what you're looking for.' Unlike France, where sperm donors are limited to 10 births, Denmark allows up to 12 and Germany permits up to 15. The lack of uniformity across Europe is a key issue, as per experts. To prevent future cases, the European Sperm Bank said it has voluntarily implemented a self-imposed international limit of 75 families per donor, although this is above the legal limit in several individual countries. (With inputs from CNN)
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Business Standard
29-05-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
Sperm donor with cancer gene fathered 67 kids across Europe; 10 diagnosed
Imagine finding out that a sperm donor you trusted unknowingly carried a rare gene mutation linked to cancer, and that 10 of the 67 children he fathered across eight countries have already been diagnosed with serious cancers like leukemia. According to a report by The Guardian, a sperm donor, whose genetic mutation went undetected during standard screenings, fathered at least 67 children across eight European countries. Out of them, 10 of these children have been diagnosed with cancers such as leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This case has sparked discussions about the urgent need for stricter international regulations on sperm donation and the limit on the use of sperm. What exactly happened in this sperm donor case? Between 2008 and 2015, a sperm donor unknowingly carrying a rare mutation in the TP53 gene, associated with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a severe inherited cancer predisposition, fathered 67 children from 46 families in Europe. The variant was found in 23 children, 10 of whom have been diagnosed with cancer. Standard screening methods at the time did not detect this mutation. The European Sperm Bank, which supplied the sperm, confirmed the presence of the mutation. This revelation came after two families independently contacted their fertility clinics upon their children's cancer diagnoses. What is Li-Fraumeni syndrome, and how does it affect children? According to the Cleveland Clinic, an American nonprofit academic medical centre based in Cleveland, Ohio, Li-Fraumeni syndrome is a rare hereditary condition caused by mutations in the TP53 gene. People with this condition have a 90 per cent likelihood of developing at least one type of cancer by the age of 60. Nearly half of them experience cancer before turning 40. For females with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, breast cancer is especially common, occurring in almost all cases. How did this genetic mutation go undetected during donor screening? At the time of the donations, standard screening protocols did not include comprehensive genetic testing to identify rare mutations like the one in the TP53 gene. As a result, the donor's mutation went unnoticed, highlighting a significant gap in the screening process. What are the regulations on the number of children a sperm donor can father? According to the report, regulations vary by country. For instance, in the UK, a donor's sperm can be used to create up to 10 families. Denmark allows up to 12 children per donor. In India, sperm donation is governed by the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021. According to the Act, a donor's sperm should not be supplied to more than one couple for reproductive purposes. "A bank shall not supply the sperm of a single donor to more than one commissioning couple," the Act says. This regulation aims to reduce the risk of consanguinity (genetic relatedness) among offspring. However, the Act does not explicitly limit the number of children a sperm donor can father. However, the European Sperm Bank, which supplied the sperm in this case, has a self-imposed global limit of 75 families per donor. The lack of standardised international regulations allows for discrepancies and potential overuse of donor sperm across borders. Experts are now calling for internationally standardised limits on the number of families per sperm donor and creating centralised registries for improved tracking of donor-conceived children across borders. Dr Edwige Kasper, a biologist at Rouen University Hospital in France, emphasised the need for a European limit on births per donor. Accoridng to The Guardian, she stated, "We need to have a European limit on the number of births or families for a single donor. We can't do whole-genome sequencing for all sperm donors... But this is the abnormal dissemination of genetic disease." How can prospective parents ensure the safety of donor sperm? According to India's ART Act, 2021, prospective parents should seek sperm from reputable, regulated sperm banks that are registered under the Act and adhere to stringent medical screening protocols. The Act strongly recommends that prospective parents confirm that the donor has undergone all mandatory screenings and that the sperm has been quarantined and retested. It is essential to ask about the donor's medical and genetic history. For more health updates, follow #HealthWithBS
India Today
28-05-2025
- Health
- India Today
Sperm donor with cancer gene fathers 67 children, 10 of them have cancer now
A shocking case from Europe has ignited concerns over sperm donation regulations.A donor, who unknowingly carried a rare cancer-linked genetic mutation, has fathered at least 67 children, ten of whom have already been diagnosed with donor's sperm, used between 2008 and 2015, led to children being born in eight European countries, which has raised urgent questions about the limits placed on donor use and genetic screening The issue came to light during a presentation by Edwige Kasper, a biologist at Rouen University Hospital in France, at the annual European Society of Human Genetics conference in researcher explained that the donor carried a mutation in the TP53 gene, which is linked to Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a rare genetic disorder known to increase a person's lifetime risk of developing the time of the donations, the mutation was not known or detectable through standard genetic donor appeared healthy, and his sperm was distributed only through a private sperm bank in Denmark, the European Sperm Bank. However, years later, a pattern emerged as doctors across Europe began to notice a worrying trend among children conceived with his sperm. A donor, who unknowingly carried a rare cancer-linked genetic mutation, has fathered at least 67 children, ten of whom have already been diagnosed with cancer. () advertisementSo far, 10 children have developed serious cancers such as brain tumors, leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. An additional 13 children carry the mutation and are at high risk of developing cancer in the future."This mutation acts like a ticking time bomb. Children who inherited it need lifelong monitoring with frequent and intensive screenings," Kasper said in a press have recommended regular whole-body MRIs, brain scans, and abdominal ultrasounds for affected the process is stressful and heavy, early detection has already helped catch some cancers early, giving affected children a better chance at makes this case more alarming is that there is currently no international limit on how many children can be born from a single sperm donor, according to a report by The the European Sperm Bank has since implemented its own limit of 75 families per donor, the damage may have already been done."This case is deeply troubling. We followed and even exceeded genetic screening protocols, but no test can screen for all 20,000 human genes unless you know exactly what to look for," said Julie Paulli Budtz, Vice President of Corporate Communications at the European Sperm Bank told complexity of sperm donations across borders also poses a significant donor sperm is distributed internationally, it becomes increasingly difficult to track outcomes and ensure the donor is reportedly still healthy and unaware of the mutation at the time of donation, the fact remains that his genetic variant has now impacted dozens of children and their families, many of whom now face lifelong medical team has called for genetic counselling for all affected children and for a serious review of sperm donation Watch
