Accident at sperm storage centre

A hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland, has warned that sperm samples stored for nearly 300 of its cancer patients may have been damaged by a faulty freezer. The sperm samples had been stored at the Western General Hospital because of the risk that cancer treatments might damage the men's fertility.

It was discovered last July that the temperature in a liquid nitrogen freezer at the hospital had risen above levels recommended for the storage of sperm. The freezer contained about 5000 ampoules of sperm from 296 men.

The Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust said that it was seeking 'expert advice' about what effects the temperature rise may have had on the sperm, but that, so far, advice had been 'inconclusive'. A spokeswoman for the Trust did, however, admit that there was a 'risk that the integrity of the stored sperm could have been compromised'. The hospital was criticised by the Scottish National Party for waiting eight months before making the accident public and accused of trying to 'cover-up' the problem. The hospital said it was hoping to contact patients privately before the accident was reported in the media. Officials are still trying to trace 60 of the men who may be affected.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), which regulates fertility practices in the UK, said that it had been informed of the accident and was being kept informed of any developments.