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Advances in the application of DNA technology is relationship testing has led to a greater public awareness of the potential scope of DNA screening; there are, however, a number of misconceptions that have to be addressed, and the public does not yet understand all the facts available to it. It is to your benefit, therefore to read the following five questions, commonly asked by people before undergoing the DNA testing process. 1. Can Biological Relationships be Proved in Any Other Way?Prior to DNA testing, the blood groups of the parents and the child were analyzed and compared, but this could only prove that a suspected parent was not biologically related, not that they were. However, DNA tests can prove to within 99.9% certainty that they are which is sufficient proof in a court of law. There is no more accurate way. 2. What are the Difference Between a Legal DNA Paternity Test and a Home Paternity Test?There isn't any difference in the test itself: it's in the security that there is a difference. Keep in mind that a legal test has to stand up in court, so the identity of the sample must be beyond question. With an At-Home DNA Test, where you take the sample yourself and then post it to the lab for testing, that isn't the case because the sample could be tampered with. The Legal DNA Paternity test involves a third party, such as a GP or a nurse, bringing the kit and first positively identifying the subject to be tested. They then take the sample, and have it taken to the lab by courier, so that the chain of custody of the sample is unbroken. There can then be no dispute as to the identity of the sample. DIY tests are easy to carry out: you can order the kit online, and it comes complete with instructions, swabs, containers and labels, plus a permission form. Following the instructions, take the sample from inside your cheek, label it up and send it to the lab. Then wait for the result. The Legal and At-Home DNA Paternity Tests are analyzed the same way, and will give the same results for the same subjects, only one has legal standing and the other does not. 3. What Factors do I Check to Make Sure I Get the Best Lab?First, check their accreditation to laboratory standards: ISO 17025 indicates that they are accredited as using good testing and calibration techniques, and AABB accreditation is specifically for parentage testing facilities. Also, check that they provide a full DNA profile for all 16 loci - don't accept fewer than 16, and also don't accept a Yes or No result: insist on a statistical probability of paternity. 4. Is a Mother's Sample Necessary for a DNA Paternity Test?Not really, no, but unless you have a pressing reason not to, it does not do any harm and could improve the accuracy of the test. This is particularly the case in the event of gene mutation. Also, keep in mind that most labs will test the mother free, and in the UK in particular, they will need permission for the test from one of the recognized parents. If you leave out the mother then you would have to be recognized as the father in order to have the test done. 5. Can DNA be Obtained from any Other Tissue Samples?Certainly: such sources include samples of hair from anywhere on the body, semen, saliva, blood and other bodily fluids. They can be used if the suspected father is reluctant and cigarette butts, tissues, sheets, hairbrushes, etc are available. They take more preparation than an oral swab, but they can be used. |
