Pavel Durov Offers Free IVF Using His Sperm—With a Controversial Twist

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has announced an unusual offer. He will pay for IVF treatments at a Moscow clinic for women who use his sperm to have children. The plan has already sparked debate among experts. The programme is open to unmarried women under the age of 37. It will take place at a fertility clinic in the Russian capital. Durov’s biological children born through this process would stand to inherit his wealth.

George Mason University professor Ancha Baranova has criticised the proposal. She warns of potential medical risks and has urged Durov to share his full genome sequence publicly. Her challenge comes as part of broader concerns about the long-term implications of such an arrangement. The offer raises practical and ethical questions. Women meeting the criteria can access free IVF using Durov’s sperm. Any resulting children would have a legal claim to his estate.