Latest news with #EuropeanSpermBank
News18
11-06-2025
- Business
- News18
From Rs 15,000 In India To Rs 1.26 Lakh In US: What Sperm Donors Earn Around The World
Last Updated: Sperm donation in India remains taboo, offering low pay. Abroad, it's a respected, lucrative profession, with donors earning substantially more and receiving health perks The 2012 film Vicky Donor brought sperm donation into the limelight in India, yet the practice still faces significant social stigma and misunderstanding. In stark contrast, sperm donation is a respected and well-compensated profession in many Western countries. Recently, an individual shared his experience online, highlighting the vast differences in earnings and societal acceptance. Earnings For Sperm Donors In India In India, sperm donation is still largely seen as taboo, and there's a general lack of understanding about the practice. Despite this, a fair few registered sperm banks and fertility clinics do pay donors for their samples. Typically, an Indian sperm donor can expect to receive anywhere from Rs 500 to Rs 2,000 per donation, with the exact amount depending on the clinic, the donor's profile, and the quality of their sample. If a donor manages to donate twice a week, they could be earning between Rs 4,000 to Rs 8,000 in a month. In bigger cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, where demand is higher, monthly earnings can go up to Rs 8,000 to Rs 15,000. However, the payment also hinges on the donor's background. Those with strong academic qualifications (like a medical or engineering degree) or particular physical traits (such as fair skin, blue eyes, or height) can command higher rates. This is largely due to the strong demand for fair complexions and specific features among Indian couples. Nonetheless, these figures are considerably lower than what's on offer abroad. Earnings And Additional Perks For Donors Abroad Overseas, sperm donation is generally considered a respectable profession, particularly in places like the USA, Europe, and Australia. For instance, at the Seattle Sperm Bank in the United States, donors receive around $100 (roughly Rs 8,400) per accepted donation, with potential monthly earnings of up to $1,500 (around Rs 1.26 lakh). Donors at the California Sperm Bank can earn about $150 (approximately Rs 12,600) per sample, with average monthly earnings ranging from $700 to $1,200 (around Rs 58,000 to Rs 1 lakh). In Europe, the European Sperm Bank pays donors €40 (roughly Rs 3,600) for each accepted donation, allowing for up to four donations per month. Larger banks, such as Cryos International, offer a $35 bonus per donation and an additional $250 for every 10 accepted donations, potentially bringing monthly earnings to $720 (around Rs 60,000). Long-term donors could even see themselves earn up to $10,000 (about Rs 8.4 lakh) within six months. On top of the pay, donors in these countries often get extra perks like free health check-ups, fertility tests, and sometimes even annual physical examinations. A Sperm Donor's Revelation Recently, a man took to social media, claiming to be the biological father of thousands of children through his sperm donations. He also disclosed his earnings, stating he makes up to Rs 2.5 lakh a month as an extra income. Having donated for many years, he's fathered countless children globally. He mentioned that children conceived through his donations can get in touch with him once they turn eighteen, though he has no right to access their personal details. First Published: June 11, 2025, 08:56 IST
Euronews
09-06-2025
- Health
- Euronews
'Day of the Jackal' author Frederick Forsyth dies at 86
Frederick Forsyth, the author of "The Day of the Jackal" and other bestselling thrillers, has died after a brief illness, his literary agent said on Monday. Jonathan Lloyd, his agent, said Forsyth died at home early on Monday at the age of 86 surrounded by his family. "We mourn the passing of one of the world's greatest thriller writers," Lloyd said. Forsyth served as a Royal Air Force pilot before becoming a foreign correspondent and a novelist. "The Day of the Jackal," published in 1971, propelled him to global fame. The political thriller about a professional assassin was made into a film in 1973 and more recently a television series starring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch. He wrote more than 25 books including "The Afghan," "The Kill List," and "The Fist of God" that have sold over 75 million copies, Lloyd said. The disparity of sperm donor laws in Europe has been called into question after a Danish sperm donor with an inherited cancer mutation is said to have helped conceive at least 67 children across Europe, mostly in Belgium. The European Sperm Bank (ESB) allegedly used gametes from a Danish donor who unknowingly carried a rare variation of the TP53 gene that increases the risk of early cancer. Out of the 67 children he helped to conceive, 23 of them are carriers of the variant, 10 of whom have developed cancer. The case was revealed at the end of May by Dr. Edwige Kasper, a biologist at Rouen University Hospital, at a meeting of the European Society of Human Genetics in Milan. "It's a syndrome called Li-Fraumeni syndrome, which will give rise to multiple cancers with a very broad spectrum, so children who are carriers of this variant need to be monitored very closely," the specialist in hereditary predispositions to cancer told Euronews. Of the 10 children who have developed a form of cancer, the doctor counts four haemopathies, four brain tumours and two types of sarcoma that affect the muscles. The case has highlighted the shortcomings of sperm donation policies across Europe. While most European countries limit the number of children fathered by a single donor, or the number of families that can be helped by a single donor, there is no limit at international or European level. The conditions around anonymity also vary from country to country. "We will end up with an abnormal spread of a genetic pathology, because the sperm bank involved in this case has set a limit of 75 families from the donor. Other sperm banks have not set a limit," explained Kasper. Although donors are subject to medical examinations and genetic tests, "there is no perfect pre-selection," explained Ayo Wahlberg, researcher and a member of the Danish Council on Ethics. "Technology is developing so fast. Genetic testing technologies and their costs are falling so fast that, if we compare 10 or 15 years ago and today in terms of recruitment and the types of genetic tests that can be carried out as part of the screening process, a lot has changed," the professor explained. The rules governing sperm donation vary from one European country to another. The maximum number of children from a single donor varies from 15 in Germany to one in Cyprus. Other countries prefer to limit the number of families that can use the same donor to give them the opportunity to have brothers and sisters. For example, the same donor can help 12 families in Denmark and six families in Sweden or Belgium. In addition, donations are kept anonymous in countries such as France and Greece. In other member states such as Austria, the person born of a gamete donation may have access to the identity of his or her parent. In Germany and Bulgaria, donations may or may not be anonymous, depending on the circumstances. In the Netherlands, the process is not anonymous. Danish, Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian National Medical Ethics Councils raised concerns over a lack of regulation at an international and European level, claiming it increases the risk of the spread of genetic diseases and consanguinity. "The risk that a genetic disease will unknowingly spread much more widely (with a large number of offspring) than if the number (of offspring) had been smaller," Wahlberg said. "The first step is therefore to establish or introduce a limit of families per donor. The second step is to create a national register. And the third step is of course to have a European register based on the national registers," Sven-Erik Söder, President of the Swedish National Council on Medical Ethics, told Euronews. In the age of social media and thorough DNA testing, donor anonymity can no longer be 100% guaranteed, which some have argued could put off people from donating. When asked if the introduction of regulations could lead to a shortage of sperm donations, Söder said the solution is not the absence of restrictions, but instead encourage people to donate.
Euronews
09-06-2025
- Health
- Euronews
Sperm donation policies in Europe questioned after cancer scare
The disparity of sperm donor laws in Europe has been called into question after a Danish sperm donor with an inherited cancer mutation is said to have helped conceive at least 67 children across Europe, mostly in Belgium. The European Sperm Bank (ESB) allegedly used gametes from a Danish donor who unknowingly carried a rare variation of the TP53 gene that increases the risk of early cancer. Out of the 67 children he helped to conceive, 23 of them are carriers of the variant, 10 of whom have developed cancer. The case was revealed at the end of May by Dr. Edwige Kasper, a biologist at Rouen University Hospital, at a meeting of the European Society of Human Genetics in Milan. "It's a syndrome called Li-Fraumeni syndrome, which will give rise to multiple cancers with a very broad spectrum, so children who are carriers of this variant need to be monitored very closely," the specialist in hereditary predispositions to cancer told Euronews. Of the 10 children who have developed a form of cancer, the doctor counts four haemopathies, four brain tumours and two types of sarcoma that affect the muscles. The case has highlighted the shortcomings of sperm donation policies across Europe. While most European countries limit the number of children fathered by a single donor, or the number of families that can be helped by a single donor, there is no limit at international or European level. The conditions around anonymity also vary from country to country. "We will end up with an abnormal spread of a genetic pathology, because the sperm bank involved in this case has set a limit of 75 families from the donor. Other sperm banks have not set a limit," explained Kasper. Although donors are subject to medical examinations and genetic tests, "there is no perfect pre-selection," explained Ayo Wahlberg, researcher and a member of the Danish Council on Ethics. "Technology is developing so fast. Genetic testing technologies and their costs are falling so fast that, if we compare 10 or 15 years ago and today in terms of recruitment and the types of genetic tests that can be carried out as part of the screening process, a lot has changed," the professor explained. The rules governing sperm donation vary from one European country to another. The maximum number of children from a single donor varies from 15 in Germany to one in Cyprus. Other countries prefer to limit the number of families that can use the same donor to give them the opportunity to have brothers and sisters. For example, the same donor can help 12 families in Denmark and six families in Sweden or Belgium. In addition, donations are kept anonymous in countries such as France and Greece. In other member states such as Austria, the person born of a gamete donation may have access to the identity of his or her parent. In Germany and Bulgaria, donations may or may not be anonymous, depending on the circumstances. In the Netherlands, the process is not anonymous. Danish, Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian National Medical Ethics Councils raised concerns over a lack of regulation at an international and European level, claiming it increases the risk of the spread of genetic diseases and consanguinity. "The risk that a genetic disease will unknowingly spread much more widely (with a large number of offspring) than if the number (of offspring) had been smaller," Wahlberg said. "The first step is therefore to establish or introduce a limit of families per donor. The second step is to create a national register. And the third step is of course to have a European register based on the national registers," Sven-Erik Söder, President of the Swedish National Council on Medical Ethics, told Euronews. In the age of social media and thorough DNA testing, donor anonymity can no longer be 100% guaranteed, which some have argued could put off people from donating. When asked if the introduction of regulations could lead to a shortage of sperm donations, Söder said the solution is not the absence of restrictions, but instead encourage people to donate. A referendum in Italy on citizenship requirements and job protection is likely to have failed, as turnout was far below the required threshold, polling agency YouTrend said on Monday. Turnout needed to be at least 50% plus one vote to make the referendum results binding, but based on data collected from 60,000 polling stations, turnout was around 30%. The referendum, proposed by trade unions and civic organisations, addresses issues that have generated political debate in Italy in recent years, particularly labour market reform, primarily the 2016 Labour Act, as well as migrant reception and integration policies. The first four questions relate to labour issues and concern the increasing protection of workers, small enterprises and their obligations towards employees, short-term contracts, and the responsibility of clients towards subcontracting parties and employees' safety. The fifth question concerns the period of time necessary for non-EU nationals residing in the country to be eligible for Italian citizenship, proposing to reduce it from 10 to five years. The parties of the ruling coalition, led by Premier Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy, opposed the referendum, with some politicians urging citizens not to participate in the vote. According to the advocacy group International Democracy Community, although opposition parties have supported the referendum, it is primarily a citizens' initiative and not a political matter. "The referendum questions were proposed through a bottom-up approach, and did not come from parliament," the International Democracy Community said in a statement. "Members of the Europa+ party launched the initiative on the citizenship question, whilst the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL) has been the initiator of the Labour Act ones, with support from the Democratic Party, the Five Star Movement, and the Green and Left Alliance." According to exit data after polls closed at 3 pm, the "yes" vote for the four labour law questions stood at around 85%, while 60% of voters said yes to the citizenship question. The referendum coincided with local elections in several Italian regions and municipalities.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Sperm donor's genetic mutation linked to cancer in 10 conceived children
Sperm from a single donor in Europe has reportedly been used to conceive at least 67 pregnancies, although the donor carried a rare cancer-causing mutation. The donor's mutation has been linked to cancer diagnoses in 10 of these children, according to a report by The Guardian. The case was brought to light after two families separately contacted their fertility clinics after their children's cancer diagnoses were linked to a rare genetic variant called TP53. Prostate Cancer Risk Increases By 45% Among Men Who Share One Troubling Behavior A mutation in the TP53 gene causes Li-Fraumeni syndrome, which increases the risk of developing cancer. Cleveland Clinic states that this disorder comes with a 90% chance of developing some type of cancer by age 60, and a 50% chance by the age of 40. The European Sperm Bank, the sperm supplier, confirmed that this variant was present in some of the donor's sperm. Read On The Fox News App The Guardian reported that the rare variant was "not known to be linked to cancer at the time of donation in 2008." The genetic variant reportedly would not have been detectable through standard screening, and the donor is said to currently be in good health. Dr Edwige Kasper, a biologist at Rouen University Hospital in France, presented this case at the European Society of Human Genetics' annual conference in Milan last week, commenting on the need for a European limit on the number of births or families for a single donor. "We can't do whole-genome sequencing for all sperm donors – I'm not arguing for that," she told The Guardian. "But this is the abnormal dissemination of genetic disease. Not every man has 75 children across Europe." 4 Troubling Cancer Trends You Must Know About In 2025 Kasper analyzed the mutation in her lab, concluding that it was most likely cancer-causing and that children born from this donor should "receive genetic counseling." The research-turned-investigation tracked down 67 children from 46 families in eight European countries. The children were tested, with the variant detected in 23 of them. The 10 who had been diagnosed with cancer reportedly included cases of leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, the European Sperm Bank stated that donor-assisted reproduction "generally remains a significantly safer alternative" than reproduction without genetic screening. The bank added that sperm donors undergo a "comprehensive health screening," which includes an in-depth medical examination, a review of the donor's family medical history and "extensive" testing for genetic and infectious diseases. "However, it's not possible to rule out all risks — and, in this particular case, the identified mutation is one that could not have been detected by the screening methods we use in accordance with regulations and would require specialized genetic testing," the group noted. Julie Paulli Budtz, VP. of corporate communications at the European Sperm Bank, expressed to Fox News Digital that they are "deeply affected by this case." Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "The donor has been thoroughly tested even beyond the required standards, but preventative genetic screening is reaching its limits here," she said. "Every human being has about 20,000 genes, and it is scientifically simply not possible to detect disease-causing mutations in a person's gene pool if you don't know what you are looking for." Budtz noted that the European Sperm Bank welcomes "continued dialogue" regarding setting an "internationally binding family limit," which they have advocated for "on several occasions, also at EU level." "This is also why, in addition to complying with national pregnancy limits, we have proactively implemented our own international limit of 75 families per donor," she added. In the U.S., there is no official legal limit on how many sperm donations one man can make. However, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommends that donors are limited to 25 live births within each population area of 800,000 people. "Institutions, clinics and sperm banks should maintain sufficient records to allow a limit to be set for the number of pregnancies for which a given donor is responsible," the ASRM states on its website. California Cryobank, which has claimed to have the largest selection of sperm and egg donations in the country, states on its website that it closely monitors donors to limit the total number of family units to 20 to 30 worldwide. "Limiting donor vials is an important part of the process," the bank noted. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) requires that all sperm donors undergo a physical exam, complete a questionnaire, provide their medical history, and undergo screenings for infectious diseases at an FDA-approved lab. In addition, the ASRM suggests that donors undergo psychological and genetic screening, and also recommends infectious-disease testing of the recipient and the recipient's sexually intimate partners, per its website. For more Health articles, visit "Legal consultation and laws may vary by state," the organization notes. At California Cryobank, donors must be tested for infectious diseases, undergo genetic screening, get a psychological assessment and criminal background check, and receive screening for the Zika virus, according to the bank's article source: Sperm donor's genetic mutation linked to cancer in 10 conceived children
Fox News
31-05-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Sperm donor's genetic mutation linked to cancer in 10 conceived children
Sperm from a single donor in Europe has reportedly been used to conceive at least 67 pregnancies, although the donor carried a rare cancer-causing mutation. The donor's mutation has been linked to cancer diagnoses in 10 of these children, according to a report by The Guardian. The case was brought to light after two families separately contacted their fertility clinics after their children's cancer diagnoses were linked to a rare genetic variant called TP53. A mutation in the TP53 gene causes Li-Fraumeni syndrome, which increases the risk of developing cancer. Cleveland Clinic states that this disorder comes with a 90% chance of developing some type of cancer by age 60, and a 50% chance by the age of 40. The European Sperm Bank, the sperm supplier, confirmed that this variant was present in some of the donor's sperm. The Guardian reported that the rare variant was "not known to be linked to cancer at the time of donation in 2008." The genetic variant reportedly would not have been detectable through standard screening, and the donor is said to currently be in good health. "The identified mutation is one that could not have been detected by the screening methods we use in accordance with regulations." Dr Edwige Kasper, a biologist at Rouen University Hospital in France, presented this case at the European Society of Human Genetics' annual conference in Milan last week, commenting on the need for a European limit on the number of births or families for a single donor. "We can't do whole-genome sequencing for all sperm donors – I'm not arguing for that," she told The Guardian. "But this is the abnormal dissemination of genetic disease. Not every man has 75 children across Europe." Kasper analyzed the mutation in her lab, concluding that it was most likely cancer-causing and that children born from this donor should "receive genetic counseling." The research-turned-investigation tracked down 67 children from 46 families in eight European countries. The children were tested, with the variant detected in 23 of them. The 10 who had been diagnosed with cancer reportedly included cases of leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, the European Sperm Bank stated that donor-assisted reproduction "generally remains a significantly safer alternative" than reproduction without genetic screening. The bank added that sperm donors undergo a "comprehensive health screening," which includes an in-depth medical examination, a review of the donor's family medical history and "extensive" testing for genetic and infectious diseases. "However, it's not possible to rule out all risks — and, in this particular case, the identified mutation is one that could not have been detected by the screening methods we use in accordance with regulations and would require specialized genetic testing," the group noted. Julie Paulli Budtz, VP. of corporate communications at the European Sperm Bank, expressed to Fox News Digital that they are "deeply affected by this case." "The donor has been thoroughly tested even beyond the required standards, but preventative genetic screening is reaching its limits here," she said. "Every human being has about 20,000 genes, and it is scientifically simply not possible to detect disease-causing mutations in a person's gene pool if you don't know what you are looking for." Budtz noted that the European Sperm Bank welcomes "continued dialogue" regarding setting an "internationally binding family limit," which they have advocated for "on several occasions, also at EU level." "This is also why, in addition to complying with national pregnancy limits, we have proactively implemented our own international limit of 75 families per donor," she added. In the U.S., there is no official legal limit on how many sperm donations one man can make. However, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommends that donors are limited to 25 live births within each population area of 800,000 people. "Institutions, clinics and sperm banks should maintain sufficient records to allow a limit to be set for the number of pregnancies for which a given donor is responsible," the ASRM states on its website. "Limiting donor vials is an important part of the process." California Cryobank, which has claimed to have the largest selection of sperm and egg donations in the country, states on its website that it closely monitors donors to limit the total number of family units to 20 to 30 worldwide. "Limiting donor vials is an important part of the process," the bank noted. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) requires that all sperm donors undergo a physical exam, complete a questionnaire, provide their medical history, and undergo screenings for infectious diseases at an FDA-approved lab. In addition, the ASRM suggests that donors undergo psychological and genetic screening, and also recommends infectious-disease testing of the recipient and the recipient's sexually intimate partners, per its website. For more Health articles, visit "Legal consultation and laws may vary by state," the organization notes. At California Cryobank, donors must be tested for infectious diseases, undergo genetic screening, get a psychological assessment and criminal background check, and receive screening for the Zika virus, according to the bank's website.
