>>1431353A further audit of the sperm bank's lab processes found that a crucial identity check, known as double-witnessing, was not being practised during semen collections.
The system, while not required in the US at the time, has been the industry standard in Australia since 2012.
In the US, there is a lack of regulation over specific lab routines at sperm banks.
Neither QFG nor Virtus Health had ever checked whether its international sperm providers were performing these basic checks before exposing its Australian patients to the risk of a mix-up.
Seattle Sperm Bank told the ABC in a statement: "We can confirm that the laboratory error of the wrong label being affixed to the donor specimen occurred in 2013."
"Following this, Seattle Sperm Bank created a robust, seven-step double verification, with a computer-assisted automated witnessing system that prevents this type of error from occurring again."
QFG said "all remaining donor sperm from this donor was destroyed."
Clinic denied error, then covered it up [written in big bold letters]
Queensland Fertility Group and its parent company, Virtus Health, went to great lengths to conceal this scandal.
As part of a settlement, the Brisbane couple was paid to stay silent in a strict non-disclosure agreement that still has them terrified of speaking today.
Family friend Jo Bastian learned details of the mix-up before the confidentiality agreement was signed.
She said the fertility giant's treatment of the couple was appalling.
"They went to the clinic three times, and the clinic dismissed them," she said.
"The mother felt very, very isolated and there was never any contact from the clinic to see how she and the baby were going.
"It was a very confronting time, and the clinic was of no help whatsoever."
Queensland Fertility Group (QFG) said: "This incident occurred more than a decade ago and was overseen by the former public company board and management of QFG.
