Dutch sperm donors records a real mess - Yikes!

 

Leiden hospital investigating whether employee

used own sperm to impregnate women

The Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) is investigating allegations that staff members at its former sperm bank may have used their own sperm during fertility treatments. The investigation was prompted by new information provided by a known donor, the hospital announced this week.

“We are deeply shocked by this new information. We realize how impactful this is for all involved,” said Martin Schalij, a member of the hospital's board of directors.

The donor reportedly contacted the hospital on Wednesday after a report earlier in the week revealed administrative failures in the records of the now-closed donor bank. These errors included cases where the identities of donors were untraceable and instances where sperm from nine donors had been used to conceive more children than regulations allow.

According to Dutch broadcaster Omroep West, the donor pointed to an article from the 1980s in Mare, a university magazine, which suggested that some staff at the sperm bank had donated their own sperm for treatments. This claim was allegedly reiterated in correspondence sent to donor-conceived individuals and their parents.

While LUMC did not specify the exact nature of the donor’s evidence, it described the information as sufficient grounds for further investigation. The hospital has informed individuals connected to the donor bank about the new allegations.

“We shared the findings of the earlier report with all involved on Monday evening, and now we must confront them with this painful new information,” Schalij said.

The allegations come in the wake of multiple high-profile cases involving fertility specialists using their own sperm without patient consent. One of the most notorious cases involved Dr. Jan Karbaat, who is suspected of fathering over 100 children at his private clinic.

In January, it was revealed that a lab technician at a fertility clinic in Leiden had used his sperm in treatments between 1979 and 1984, resulting in at least 11 children. This individual was not registered as a donor at the time.

The hospital is urging anyone with information about the practices at the donor bank to come forward. Individuals connected to the AZL/LUMC donor bank, including mothers, offspring, and donors, have been invited to contact the hospital for further information at donorbank@lumc.nl.