Global News Podcast Cancer-causing gene found in donor sperm across Europe
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Dec 10, 2025 
James Gallagher, BBC's health correspondent, discusses a shocking investigation revealing a sperm donor with a TP53 mutation linked to high cancer risks, impacting nearly 197 children across Europe. Jonathan Head reports from the Thai-Cambodia border where ongoing fighting has displaced half a million people. Meanwhile, sound therapy expert Will Sedley shares promising advancements in tinnitus treatment, while designer Lucas de Groot reacts to the controversy surrounding the Calibri typeface after its ban by the US State Department.
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Mother Warned Years After Conception
- Celine, a French single mother, got a call years later asking her daughter to be screened for cancer risk after conception with donated sperm.
- She felt betrayed that the sperm "wasn't clean" and feared future cancers for her child.
Cross-Border Sales Amplified Risk
- The donor's sperm was sold to around 67 clinics across 14 countries, producing at least 197 children.
- Cross-border sperm sales bypass national donor limits, amplifying risk and psychological harm for offspring.
TP53 Mutation Dramatically Raises Cancer Risk
- The mutation was in TP53, a gene that prevents cancer, and raises lifetime cancer risk up to 90% when defective.
- The donor had mosaicism: about 20% of his sperm carried the mutation while he remained unaffected.