A British sperm donor has fathered 17 families, raising fears that his offspring could unwittingly have an incestuous relationship.

A British sperm donor has fathered 17 families, raising fears that his offspring could unwittingly have an incestuous relationship. The case also raises concerns, however, about the capacity of the Human Fertility and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to police fertility clinics. This breach of the HFEA’s 10-family limit was unearthed through research by a campaigning group. It has been found that another man fathered 12 families and yet another 11.

Josephine Quintavalle, of Comment on Reproductive Ethics, the group that uncovered the blunders, told the Sunday Times:

“The 10-family limit imposed by the HFEA is obviously an attempt to reduce the probability that any future sexual relationships might ensue with the very worrying risks for offspring associated with consanguinity. It is truly lamentable that the HFEA has such inadequate systems in place that it is unable to monitor properly the numbers of babies conceived in this way.” ~ Daily Mail, Sep 18

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Michael Cook

Michael Cook edits BioEdge, a bioethics newsletter, and MercatorNet, an on-line magazine whose focus is human dignity. He writes from Sydney, Australia.

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