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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Hannah Devlin Science correspondent

Sperm from cancer-risk donor used to conceive at least 67 children across Europe

IVF treatment sperm being injected into human egg
Ten children conceived using the man’s sperm have been diagnosed with forms of cancer including leukaemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Photograph: Science Photo Library/Zephyr/Getty Images

The sperm of a man carrying a rare cancer-causing mutation was used to conceive at least 67 children, 10 of whom have since been diagnosed with cancer, in a case that has highlighted concerns about the lack of internationally agreed limits on the use of donor sperm.

Experts have previously warned of the social and psychological risks of sperm from single donors being used to create large numbers of children across different countries. The latest case, involving dozens of children born between 2008 and 2015, raises fresh concerns about the complexity of tracing so many families when a serious medical issue is identified.

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