At Home Paternity Testing Gaining Popularity
Since not everyone with questions about the paternity of a child can or would want to go on the Maury Povich show, some companies are now cashing in on the now in-demand service of DNA paternity testing.
Women have used home pregnancy tests for many years now with reliable results. Later, home drug testing kits were introduced for parents who wish to be in the know about their children's habits. Home testing kits for HIV, and of course materials and equipment for checking blood sugar levels are also readily available over the counter. Now the drug store shelves are being stocked with do-it-yourself DNA paternity testing kits.
For men who have always suspected or have been told during a heated argument that they did not father a child that they had believed to, or for women to prove once and for all that they have been telling the truth about the paternity of a child, the home DNA paternity testing kits appear to be an easy solution.
The kits sell for about $30 each and include cheek swabs to collect DNA from the mother, child and suspected father, consent forms and a mailer to send the samples back to the lab. Additional fees are required for the testing and even more fees if legal paperwork is required for use in court for a divorce, child custody, child support or other type of case. Results are generally available within 3 to 5 days from the time the lab receives the DNA samples, and the test center claims that the results are 98 to 99 percent accurate. The other 1 to 2 percent of cases are anyone's guess.
The DNA tests are marketed under the name Identigene by Sorenson Genomics of Salt Lake City. Sales have been brisk and the company expects to sell 52,000 of the DIY paternity testing kits this year.
Fans of the home test say that they appreciate the privacy and say that the $120 testing fee is not a lot to pay for some peace of mind. To get the legal paperwork to use in court cases the company charges an extra $200 - $250, but for many people the fact that they can get the test results so discreetly through the mail is worth the cost according to a MSNBC news report. Consumers should not be too quick to shell out the extra cash for the legal paperwork though, as at home DNA testing is still considered questionable and the results may not be admissible in court after all.
To some, home DNA testing seems to be a perfect solution to answer those nagging paternity questions. However, genetic experts say that home testing may not be the final word in paternity cases. Questions have been raised about the accuracy of the home testing process.
There is a reason that DNA samples have in the past been routinely taken by medical professionals. A DNA sample can be contaminated very easily, rendering the sample useless or even worse, producing inaccurate results. There are also concerns about the testing procedures and the chance of error in reading or interpreting the results of mass marketed DNA tests.
The at home DNA test kits do not require a review by the Food and Drug Administration and no certification is required under the federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, or CLIA.
