Quebec looking to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
The series by Noovo Info, called "Pere 100 enfants," showed that the trio served as sperm donors for women across Quebec who turned to the internet to try to get pregnant.
Quebec's public health director, Dr. Luc Boileau, said in an interview with Noovo Info on Monday that he was "shocked" by the documentary. He said he would like to minimize the risks of artificial insemination by setting a maximum number of donations per donor, which other countries have already done, including France, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
According to the documentary by journalists Marie-Christine Bergeron and Maxime Landry, the three Quebec men fathered at least 600 children. Two of the donors also carry a rare hereditary genetic disorder affecting the liver that could be passed down to the children.
"On the Canadian scene, no one saw this coming either. This is a new situation," Boileau said, adding that he is in talks with his counterparts at Health Canada to examine setting new limits for donors.
Boileau also said public health is looking into how it can inform the mothers involved, as well as their children so that they're aware they are genetically linked to hundreds of half-brothers and half-sisters "to reduce the risk of inbreeding."
Fathering hundreds of children a 'public health issue': Dubé
Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé reacted to the Noovo's reporting on Tuesday, saying the documentary reveals a "public health issue."
"I think it's especially worrying for parents who have used the procreation service, to know: 'Could my boy or girl be in contact with one of the other children?' That's what's worrying in terms of public health," he told a press scrum at the National Assembly on Tuesday.
The minister says he will meet with Boileau on Wednesday to see what can be done. "We're going to find solutions," said Dubé, evoking the idea of a "regulatory response."
Opposition parties also called on the CAQ government to put an end to what the Quebec Liberal Party described as the "Wild West" of sperm donation.
With files from Noovo Info and The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre says Canadians 'fleeing' to Nicaragua, Liberals say it shows he 'doesn't have a clue'
Liberal parliamentarians are criticizing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over a new video in which he promotes the idea that some Canadians are 'fleeing' Canada to live in Nicaragua because they can't afford a house in this country.
Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing
Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country's largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing.
Infant dies in ATV crash, N.S. RCMP says alcohol may be a factor
An infant has died and three others, including another child, were taken to hospital following an ATV crash in Forties, N.S., on Monday.
'Do not drive': Nissan warns Canadian drivers of explosion risk impacting 48,000 vehicles
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.
Charges against world's top golfer Scottie Scheffler dropped after arrest outside PGA Championship
Criminal charges against Scottie Scheffler have been dismissed, ending a legal saga that began with images of the world’s top male golfer being arrested and handcuffed in Louisville during the PGA Championship.
'Scandals and secrets': On board the world's most exclusive private residential ship
It’s a floating city exclusively home to the 1 per cent, a playground for multimillionaires and billionaires that circumnavigates the world's oceans.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
How Trump's hush money trial verdict could affect the 2024 election
Here is how three potential outcomes from the jury room ─ a guilty verdict, an acquittal or a hung jury ─ could affect the presidential campaign.
New Orleans mystery: Human skull padlocked to a dumbbell is pulled out of water by a fisherman
New Orleans mystery: Human skull padlocked to a dumbbell is pulled out of water by a fisherman