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Doctor Accused Of Impregnating Patients With Own Sperm Agrees $10.7m Settlement

Doctor Accused Of Impregnating Patients With Own Sperm Agrees $10.7m Settlement

Dr. Norman Barwin is accused of using the wrong sperm - including his own - when treating patients in Canada

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

A Canadian fertility doctor has agreed to a huge $10.7 million (£7.7 million) settlement after being accused of impregnating women with the wrong sperm, including using his own.

NBC News reports that 17 people used DNA tests to ascertain that 82-year-old Dr. Norman Barwin is their biological father, after their families went to him for fertility treatment.

A statement from the complainants alleges that 100 children of patients of Barwin don't actually have the DNA of their 'intended biological father', leaving 83 who have no idea who their biological father is, as well as the 17 who are children of Barwin.

In total, the Ottawa Citizen reports that 226 people are involved in the class action suit.

The allegations date all the way back to the 1970s, and relate to patients to the Ottawa General Hospital as well as a second clinic in the area.

PA

This settlement has been agreed five years after the class action lawsuit was first brought in 2016 by Davina Dixon, Daniel Dixon, and Rebecca Dixon.

Davina and Daniel went to Barwin back in 1989 to seek help with conception, and an artificial insemination was performed by the doctor.

Speaking at the time, Rebecca told CBC: "When I first found out, I felt disassociated from my body and my face,

"When I'd look in the mirror, I felt like suddenly it wasn't my face. Features about myself that I'd always liked, or just thought of as my own seemed like they might belong to someone else, and I didn't know who that was."

Barwin has admitted no wrongdoing and denied all the charges in the settlement, the Washington Post reports, but he decided to go through with it because of the length of time and amount of money involved in the case.

It has yet to be approved by a judge.

Barwin - a former president of the Canadian Fertility Society - was a well-respected fertility doctor throughout his entire career, nicknamed 'Baby God' by his peers, who was also inducted into the Order of Canada.

PA

Rebecca Dixon said: "I am not sure we will ever achieve closure.

"It is something that will be with us for the rest of our lives. But the legal side wrapping up will allow people to come to a bit more peace with the situation."

Her father Dan said: "My world has been turned upside down,

"Rebecca is our child, but she's not our child. She is, but she's not. And that's why everything is different."

Barwin was stripped of his medical licence in 2019, with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario calling his actions 'beyond reprehensible'.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Doctor, Weird, Canada, Health