Tambre Statement: Spain is a safe country for sperm donation

In light of the information published in recent days about a sperm donor from a Danish biobank, carrier of a genetic mutation associated with a high risk of cancer, whose donations resulted in at least 197 births across several European countries, Grupo Tambre considers it important to provide a clear, rigorous and reassuring statement.

1. Tambre is not affected by this case

We wish to state clearly that Tambre is not one of the clinics affected by this incident.

• Tambre does not use sperm from external European sperm banks.
• Tambre has its own sperm bank, fully subject to Spanish legislation and to control protocols that are even more stringent than the legal minimum requirements.

In 2023, health authorities proactively notified those Spanish clinics that had used samples from this donor, enabling the activation of appropriate follow-up protocols. Tambre was not among them.

2. A case originating outside Spain and under a different regulatory framework

This case originated in a foreign biobank and involves donations made more than a decade ago, at a time when:

• Available genetic testing was more limited than it is today.
• There was no harmonised European coordination in the field of gamete donation.

As recalled by ASEBIR and various health authorities, this scenario is no longer possible in Spain today.

3. The Spanish gamete donation system: one of the safest in Europe

Spain has a robust, preventive and highly controlled regulatory framework, internationally recognised. Its key safeguards include:

• Strict legal limit: a maximum of six live births per donor, with no exceptions.
• Mandatory donor screening, including:
• Personal and family medical assessment.
• Clinical, infectious and genetic testing.
• Genetic studies including karyotype analysis and panels for common hereditary diseases.
• Biovigilance and traceability system: in the event of any genetic suspicion, samples are immediately blocked, protecting patients and future newborns.

Since the regulatory update in 2024, no European donor can be used in Spain unless they fully comply with Spanish legislation and have explicit health authority approval.

ASEBIR has emphasised that even in extremely rare cases such as the one described—associated with germline mosaicism—the Spanish system would have detected and contained the issue after the first suspected case, preventing it from affecting more than six births.

4. Tambre’s commitment

At Tambre, we have been working in advanced reproductive medicine for almost five decades with a clear principle: the safety and future well-being of children born is just as important as achieving pregnancy.

Therefore:

• We apply especially rigorous donor selection and follow-up protocols.
• We ensure full traceability, internal review committees and ongoing collaboration with health authorities.
• We are firmly committed to the continuous updating of genetic testing in line with scientific advances.

This case reinforces the importance of the Spanish model and of clinical practice based on rigour, transparency and responsibility.