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Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
More than 1,200 mothers and 900 children impacted by Dutch fertility scandal
A popular Dutch fertility clinic used sperm from dozens of donors far more than the 25 permitted times for over a decade, affecting hundreds of children and mothers. One of the Netherlands' largest fertility clinics, Medisch Centrum Kinderwens (MCK), used sperm from at least 36 donors many more times than permitted between 2006 and 2017, Dutch news outlet Nos reported, affecting more than 900 mothers and 1,200 children. Dutch youth minister Vincent Karremans said it was an 'appalling' case which would understandably lead to anger and questions from those affected. 'They are now confronted with the news that their children belong to a larger kinship network than they had expected or wanted. The children appear to have more half-brothers or -sisters than thought,' he said in response to questions from Nos. 'And the donors appear to have more offspring than they themselves thought. I can imagine that this can have a major impact on each of them.' In April, Nos's current affairs programme Nieuwsuur shocked the Netherlands when it revealed that Dutch fertility clinic practices had resulted in at least 85 mass donors. A mass donor is someone who has more than 25 offspring, which was the maximum limit permitted by the country's professional association of gynaecologists until 2018, when the limit was reduced to a maximum of 12 families per donor. MCK confirmed it had 36 mass donors, and blamed previous management for ignoring the guidelines. In a statement to Nos, MCK director Wouter van Inzen blamed the number of mass donors on a donor shortage and high demand from mothers, as well as the 'desire for multiple children from the same donor within one family'. Current management took over in 2015 and ended the practice in 2017, but Mr van Inzen said the clinic decided not to approach the donors and parents involved in the issue 'in consultation with the professional group'. The Donorkind Foundation, an advocacy group, said: 'Prospective parents are nothing more than paying customers, donors are a kind of raw material and donor children nothing more than products'. Priamos, the sperm donors' association, said the clinic's actions were "irresponsible and unscrupulous". Donors were asked from 2006 whether they wanted to donate for 25 families, rather than 25 children, and their contracts allowed a certain number of children to be conceived in other countries. Priamos said while those contracts were in breach of the rules, all the donors the association spoke to thought donating to 25 families was permitted. 'We are not aware of any donor who was made aware that the rules were being violated. Donors do not need to know the rules either. They can assume that they will be treated fairly by the clinic,' the association told Nos.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Couldn't deliver.' How Dodgers' lacking lineup depth was exposed in loss to Braves
Atlanta Braves closer Raisel Iglesias celebrates Sunday's win over the Dodgers, which he finished off by striking out Miguel Rojas and Austin Barnes with the tying run at third base. (Mike Stewart / Associated Press) The Dodgers had the right runner on base, but the wrong matchups at the plate. And, in a sign of what's perhaps been their biggest roster vulnerability early on this season, manager Dave Roberts had no way to alter the situation. Advertisement After trailing by four runs to the Atlanta Braves early on Sunday night, the Dodgers positioned themselves for a potential comeback in the top of the ninth. With the deficit down to one, Andy Pages stayed alive in a two-strike count for a leadoff infield single. Rookie speedster Hyeseong Kim then entered the game as a pinch-runner and wreaked instant havoc on the bases, stealing second off Braves closer Raisel Iglesias before daringly dashing to third when a dropped third strike was being thrown to first. Read more: Dustin May's struggles with his sweeper prove costly in Dodgers' loss to Braves "That was great,' Roberts said of Kim's speed on the bases. 'That was exciting.' Advertisement In a 4-3 loss to the Braves, however, the Dodgers left him stranded 90 feet away. Infielder Miguel Rojas came up and fanned on three straight changeups. In the next at-bat, backup catcher Austin Barnes chased a two-strike slider that was down and off the plate, ending the game with a strikeout as Shohei Ohtani loomed on deck. It was a reminder that, for all the strengths the Dodgers have built with their $400 million payroll this year, the depth of their offense has thus far been a weakness. Which is why, in the two most important at-bats of Sunday night's game, Roberts had no other choice than to let Rojas and Barnes — in right-on-right matchups that were always unlikely to be successful — step up to the plate. Advertisement 'We put ourselves in a great position,' Rojas said. 'Kim did an amazing job coming off the bench, stealing that bag. And I couldn't deliver.' On the whole this season, the Dodgers' lineup balance hasn't been much of a problem. The superstars at the top of their order have gradually heated up after relatively slow starts. An offense that slumped through much of April now ranks third in the majors in scoring. Still, the bottom half of the team's batting order hasn't been productive. Entering Monday, the team still had four hitters batting .200 or worse. Six were stuck with an OPS below .700. Even with recent improvements from the likes of Pages and Max Muncy, the club's .211 batting average and .647 OPS from the Nos. 6-9 spots in the order ranked in the bottom third of the majors. And though they are seven-for-16 in pinch-hit situations, none of those knocks have come from a lefty. In the big picture, it's a problem the Dodgers will have to monitor this year. Advertisement Down the stretch of Sunday, they saw just how costly it could be. Roberts first had to dip into his bench in the seventh inning, pinch-hitting Rojas for Michael Conforto as the Braves brought left-handed reliever Dylan Lee into the game. Hitting for Conforto, the $17 million offseason signing the Dodgers were anticipating a bounceback season from, is something Roberts acknowledged he didn't expect to do much this year. But after opening the season with a six-game hitting streak, the veteran slugger has been frozen in the deepest of slumps. Since April 4, Conforto is batting a stunning .088, with as many hits (six, all singles) as double-play grounders. His two strikeouts earlier Sunday — both looking, a strangely common occurrence for him early this year — left him 0 for his last 29. Advertisement 'He's grinding,' Roberts said. 'I just felt that Miggy had a better chance in that moment.' That move worked, with Rojas capitalizing on the right-left advantage for his first home run of the season; and second pinch-hit homer from any Dodger this year. But when Rojas' spot came back up in a far less advantageous matchup against Iglesias in the ninth, Roberts had no more cards to play. Entering the ninth, Roberts had one primary goal: Get starting catcher Will Smith, who was getting a scheduled day out of the starting lineup Sunday, to the plate with a chance to impact the game. After Pages' leadoff single, Roberts pulled the trigger. Rather than wait for Barnes' turn to come up later in the inning, he pinch-hit Smith for Kikè Hernández with one out. Advertisement Smith ultimately struck out, but not before Kim — who was called up for his MLB debut the previous day after signing out of South Korea this offseason — had scooted to the other corner of the diamond with his steal of second base and aggressive break for third. 'That's an instinctual play,' Roberts said, praising Kim for reading catcher Drake Baldwin's soft throw to first on a dropped third-strike that nearly changed the game. 'For him to get the jump that he did and then to get over there to third base … that just shows that he's got really good instincts." Unfortunately for the Dodgers, they couldn't advance him all the way home. Advertisement As Rojas and Barnes came up, the only player left on the team's bench was Chris Taylor, another right-handed hitter who has taken a grand total of 20 at-bats all season. Roberts considered calling for a squeeze bunt from Rojas, but was wary of the Braves infield playing in. Read more: 'Big brother, little brother.' How Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages bond is helping Dodgers 'I just thought that Miguel could put the ball in play and give us a chance to tie the game up,' Roberts said. He couldn't. Neither could Barnes. And as the game ended, the Dodgers' offensive depth concerns became all the more clear. Advertisement Most nights, of course, this is all unlikely to matter. But on any given night, it could. That's why, as the Dodgers take stock of the first part of this season, lineup depth remains a primary concern. On Sunday, it cost them an opportunity to steal a win from the Braves. Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
USA Today
22-04-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to announce ban on artificial food dyes
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to announce ban on artificial food dyes Show Caption Hide Caption HHS planning studies on autism spectrum disorder, RFK Jr. says Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the agency plans to study possible environmental links to autism spectrum disorder. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be delivering on a campaign promise to ban artificial food dyes by announcing the phasing out of eight petroleum-based synthetic dyes in the nation's food supply. Kennedy will be joined by Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary to discuss the plan at a news conference Tuesday afternoon, according to a release from the Department of Health and Human Services. While a White House official told USA TODAY on background that there are eight dyes on the chopping block, neither the White House nor the Department of Health and Human Services provided a list or a timeline of the dyes that will be phased out. Kennedy has railed against Big Food and Big Pharma and blamed the nation's 'chronic disease epidemic' on additives and junk food as part of his Make America Healthy Again agenda. The FDA, under the Biden administration, had mandated a ban on Red Dye No. 3, found in candy, desserts, and some medications, by January 15, 2027. Kennedy told CBS News earlier this month that during a closed-door meeting with food company CEO's he'd demanded that artificial food dyes would "all have to be out within two years." Many processed foods such as candies, snack foods, margarine, soft drinks, jams and pudding contain artificial dyes such as FD&C Blue Nos. 1 and 2, FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red Nos. 3 and 40, FD&C Yellow Nos, according to the FDA. The Consumer Brand Association, which represents companies that manufacture food, beverages and household products sent a letter to its members with a readout of Kennedy's meeting during a March 12 meeting with food industry CEOs. The letter, which was shared on background with USA TODAY, said it was an 'urgent priority' for the administration to remove certain artificial colors from the food supply – and that he wanted it 'done before he leaves office.' Food activists cheered the decision. Food activist and blogger Vani Hari, who has run campaigns around ingredients and transparency against food companies for more than a decade, said it was a big win for parents. 'I'm really excited about this. In two years, you are gonna be able to go to a soccer field and not see chips with artificial food dyes and a sports drink with artificial food dyes being served,' said Hari, who has been invited to the April 22 announcement. 'You're gonna be able to go to a birthday party and not have to worry about the icing.' Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal
