Investigation launched into fertility clinic following donor scandal
The Brussels public prosecutor’s office is investigating the fertility clinic at UZ Brussel hospital, VRT reports. The investigation was launched after it emerged that several fertility clinics had exceeded the maximum of six women per sperm donor.
At the end of May, it became known that 52 children in Belgium had been conceived using sperm from a Danish donor who carries a cancer-causing gene. That number was later revised to 55.
The babies were conceived by 39 women, far exceeding the legal maximum of six women per donor. In the aftermath of the case involving the Danish donor, it emerged that some clinics had also made mistakes themselves.
A central database has only been in place since January 2024, where clinics must register how many women have received sperm from a particular donor. Before 2024, clinics could only check whether they had exceeded the maximum themselves. In the meantime, the same sperm could be used elsewhere.
At least three clinics used sperm from the same donor for more than six women. The Brussels public prosecutor’s office decided to launch an investigation into one of the clinics involved at the end of June. According to VRT, this centre is UZ Brussel.
"In the context of the recent problems with the national violation, we were contacted by the public prosecutor’s office with a request for clarification"
No investigating judge has yet been appointed and it is not known whether investigations are taking place into other centres.
“In the context of the recent problems with the national violation, we were contacted by the public prosecutor’s office with a request for clarification,” UZ Brussel said in a statement. “We are cooperating in a spirit of complete transparency.”
The hospital will not make any further comment.
UZ Brussel announced this week that it was ending its collaboration with Danish sperm bank ESB following the scandal in May. ZAS hospital in Antwerp has also reviewed its collaboration with ESB but has not yet ended its partnership.
#FlandersNewsService | Archive image of the fertility clinic at UZ Brussel © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
Related news
