IDENTIGENE first connected with Dr. Taylor during their mutual involvement with “The Jeremy Kyle Show”, a national syndicated television talk show. Dr. Taylor provided advice to guests on the show, while IDENTIGENE’s laboratory arranged for DNA sample collections and processing for guests, as needed. Over the past two years, IDENTIGENE followed Dr. Taylor’s work nationally, and within the New York community, and determined that she would be a great asset to their customers, as well as the general public who have paternity questions.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Taylor work with us on our public service messages regarding paternity questions,” says Steve Smith, Executive Director at Identigene. “She brings a wealth of family and relationship counseling experience, as well as life coaching skills to our customers,” Smith adds.

Recently, IDENTIGENE commissioned a research study that concluded one in ten Americans have personally been in a situation where a paternity test was needed, and nearly one in five said that they or a close friend or family member have questioned paternity. Recognizing that paternity questions are so common, IDENTIGENE is responding to the community need for education, focusing on the emotional impact paternity questions bring to women, men and children and how they can best handle this potentially life-altering information in the healthiest of ways.

ABOUT DR. TAYLOR

Dr. Janet Taylor is a nationally known psychiatrist, public speaker, writer and life coach. She holds a medical degree from the University of Louisville and a master’s degree in Health Promotion/Disease Prevention from Columbia University. Dr. Taylor is a frequent contributor to CBS “This Morning”, NBC “The Today Show” and “Good Morning America” on topics such as motherhood and parenting. Her column in Family Circle Magazine is entitled, “Ask Dr. Janet,” and she also blogs at www.drJanet.tv. Dr. Taylor has been featured on many television shows, including Celebrity Crime Files- TV-One, Discovery Health/Own- “Facing Trauma” and a syndicated talk show, “The Jeremy Kyle Show”.

Identigene offers the only DNA paternity test kit available in U.S. drugstores and supercenters. Saturday’s I.AM.A.FATHER event will allow families to resolve paternity questions for peace of mind and are not intended for legal purposes, though court-admissible paternity testing is available through Identigene. Fatherhood Matters Inc. hopes that answering paternity questions will promote active fatherhood within a community that is experiencing a high rate of fatherless homes.  If successful, Fatherhood Matters Inc. intends to host similar events in other areas.

Fatherhood Matters Inc. requires the Identigene test be performed on-site unless other collection arrangements are made in advance. Identigene DNA paternity tests require DNA samples from both the alleged father and the child. Identigene recommends, but does not require, a DNA sample from the biological mother. The test is non-invasive, using a simple cheek swab to collect DNA. Paternity test results are available two business days after Identigene receives the samples. Test participants create a confidential username and password to access their results online.

“We are honored to work with Martin Henderson and Fatherhood Matters,” said Steve Smith, Executive Director of Identigene. “Confirmation of paternity can be a motivator, removing doubts about paternity can empower a father to become involved in parenting,” added Smith.  Martin Henderson, President of Fatherhood Matters Inc., says it is important to remove any roadblock that deters men from being active in the lives of their children.  “I’ve seen many examples where proving paternity has made all the difference.  If a man knows a child is his, he’s more likely to provide financial and emotional support and to become invested in that child’s future,” says Henderson.

Identigene and Fatherhood Matters Inc. established a partnership in March that consists of content sharing through Identigene and Fatherhood Matters social media channels, such as company webpages, Facebook, Twitter and blog sites. In addition to content sharing, Identigene is supporting Fatherhood Matters by donating DNA paternity test kits and discount coupons for events like I.AM.A.FATHER.

The partnership with Fatherhood Matters Inc. is not the first non-profit that Identigene has supported over the last year. In July of 2012, Identigene partnered with St. Louis based Family Resource Center with its “Kids Deserve to be Liked” Facebook campaign, helping to fund programs to prevent and treat child abuse and neglect.

“We are honored to work with Martin Henderson and Fatherhood Matters,” said Steve Smith, Executive Director of Identigene. “Confirmation of paternity can be a motivator, removing doubts about paternity can empower a father to become involved in parenting,” added Smith.  Martin Henderson, President of Fatherhood Matters, says it is important to remove any roadblock that deters men from being active in the lives of their children.  “I’ve seen many examples where proving paternity has made all the difference.  If a man knows a child is his, he’s more likely to provide financial and emotional support and to become invested in that child’s future,” says Henderson.

“Fatherhood Matters is in the community everyday speaking to families about the importance of fatherhood. If our partnership with Fatherhood Matters helps bring just one family together, it will have been worthwhile,” comments Smith.

The partnership with Fatherhood Matters is not the first non-profit that Identigene has supported over the last year. In July of 2012, Identigene partnered with St. Louis based Family Resource Center with its “Kids Deserve to be Liked” Facebook campaign, helping to fund programs to prevent and treat child abuse and neglect.

“When looking at sales history, February consistently stands out as the calendar month with the most demand,” says Steve Smith, executive director of Identigene.  He adds, “Twenty years in business allows us to trend data to help us predict the seasonality of DNA paternity testing. We think the first quarter spike may be attributed to New Year’s resolutions, Valentine’s Day and tax season.”

An independent survey commissioned by Identigene offers insight into the demand pattern for DNA paternity testing. According to the survey, 51% of adults with paternity questions said they either planned to address their doubt in the new year or would seriously consider doing so. The survey also revealed that men are twice as likely as women to address paternity questions.

Many fatherhood groups have emerged to empower men to become better fathers. The U.S.government has pioneered a webpage and community dedicated to responsible fatherhood http://www.fatherhood.gov/.   “Knowledge is empowering,” says Smith. “It’s important for children and families to know the truth about paternity, as it can impact a child’s physical and emotional health for years to come.”

Rickey Smiley listeners apply online for a free DNA paternity test via the official Rickey Smiley Morning Show website (http://92q.upickem.net/engine/YourSubmission.aspx?contestid=36469). Applicants must confirm they are 18 years or older and submit their paternity story. If chosen, Identigene will arrange for a legal DNA paternity test and the results will be aired on the radio show. The results are 100% accurate and court admissible. Currently, Rickey Smiley Morning Show Paternity Test Tuesday is aired on 55 radio affiliates across the United States on Tuesday mornings.

“We are proud to be the exclusive DNA laboratory behind Rickey Smiley’s Paternity Test Tuesdays”, commented Steve Smith, executive director at Identigene. “The Rickey Smiley show has earned a strong following.  We are also impressed with Rickey Smiley’s personal commitment to fatherhood and the social responsibilities associated with being a father,” Smith added.

Identigene says the Rickey Smiley show is part of an effort to educate Americans that DNA paternity testing is now available at drugstore chains and supercenters nationwide.  Smith said, “Identigene is committed to making DNA paternity testing accessible and affordable for everyone.  With 100% accurate testing and confidential results in just two business days—we want people to know how easy it is to have certainty about paternity.”

“We are proud of our rich company history as an industry leader in DNA paternity testing beginning in 1993 as the first laboratory to use STR technology for commercial paternity testing services, the first to offer DNA paternity services online, and the first and only company to bring DNA paternity testing to the general consumer through drugstores and supercenters across the country”, says Doug Fogg, COO of Identigene. “We have an outstanding team of experienced scientists, a state-of-art laboratory completely automated, and a knowledgeable and compassionate client support team to efficiently handle the thousands of cases processed each month while yielding 100% accurate results in just two business days.  But the most rewarding aspect of our careers at Identigene is the hundreds of thousands of people who have found peace of mind in using our services to answer some of life’s most important questions about relationship”.

Prior to Identigene, DNA paternity tests were typically court ordered and performed using antiquated techniques resulting in a complicated and costly service that was impractical for most families. Today, availability of the Identigene DNA Paternity Test Kit online or in drugstores and supercenters empowers individuals with direct access to the laboratory.  Now, DNA paternity testing is fast, accurate, confidential, and convenient with sample collection in the privacy of your own home.

Founded in 1993 as a biotech start-up byTexas businesswoman Caroline Caskey, Identigene gained instant scientific recognition for pioneering the use of STR, or short tandem repeat technology, for commercial DNA paternity testing.  STR quickly became the gold standard for DNA paternity testing.  In 2007, Sorenson Genomics, owned byUtahphilanthropist and fellow entrepreneur, James LeVoy Sorenson, acquired Identigene.

Mr. Sorenson, the father of eight children, had a passion for genealogy and understood the importance of knowing for certain the relationship identified in the family line.  His vision was to make DNA paternity testing affordable and accessible to every person in the world.  Although Identigene was available for online purchase before the acquisition, Mr. Sorenson wanted to make DNA testing even easier.  So, in 2007, Identigene launched its paternity test kit into drugstores. Steve Smith, Executive Director of Identigene says, “Mr. Sorenson had an uncommon gift for innovation and tenacity.  He expected no less than to see Identigene in all major drugstores and supercenters inAmerica—there is great satisfaction in having achieved his vision.”

Today, Identigene test kits can be purchased in nearly 25,000 stores throughout the United States and it remains the first and only DNA paternity test kit available in major drugstores and supercenters nationwide.  When asked what the public might expect from the science of DNA over the next 20 years, the COO says he’s excited for the future.  “Next generation DNA testing will become faster, more informative, and more accessible.  We’re testing new technologies that will again change the paradigm of DNA testing in the future,” commented Fogg. “Like currently portrayed on television or in movies, you’ll wait minutes, not days, to identify biological kinship and more.”

On the newly designed website’s home page, consumers can access eleven new informative videos. The topics cover everything from how the product works to special New York State testing requirements to court admissible DNA paternity testing. Also, current customers have easy access to their test results by typing in their username and password. Other highlights to the home page include “Find a Store”, “Buy Online”, “One Day Rush Processing”, and icons that link the consumer to Identigene’s social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

The links at the top of the home page include: Buy Now, Home Paternity Test, Legal DNA Test, DNA Laboratory, and Resources.  Under each of these categories, consumers can access several sub categories.  Moreover, the webpage allows consumers to access many topics surrounding DNA testing, not just DNA paternity testing. For example, under the “Resources” tab, consumers have access to the DNA testing blog, Gentopedia (an encyclopedia-like information source covering the history of DNA and where the science is today), frequently asked questions, test stories and counseling services.

We hope that the newly designed webpage will showcase our company’s dedication to staying current with the ever-changing social media world as well as provide current customers and potential customers with a stress-free, user friendly, informative consumer product website.  “We are extremely satisfied with our new webpage design. We think it is very user-friendly and vastly informative,” says Steve Smith, Executive Director. “Any person that is curious about DNA testing can obtain all the information they need just from our site,” adds Smith.

Identigene’s Kids Deserve to be Liked Facebook campaign has generated awareness and a $3,000 donation for Family Resource Center in Missouri (FRC). The mission of FRC is to give kids a chance at a better life by preventing and treating all forms of child abuse and neglect and by strengthening families through family-centered therapeutic, educational and support services.  www.frcmo.org.

It’s simple for a social worker to obtain a promotional code for a free laboratory processing fee.  Any licensed social worker may call Identigene Client Support at 1-888-404-GENE Monday through Friday 9:00-8:00 E.S.T.  The client’s only cost is the purchase of a paternity test kit, available at major drugstores and supercenters nationwide at a suggested retail price of $29.99.

“Research shows that children who can identify their biological father are more successful in school, fare better emotionally, and are less likely to live in poverty or suffer abuse and neglect,” says Steve Smith, Executive Director at Identigene.  He says the Identigene paternity test helps to put the missing piece in the family puzzle together in hopes of creating a support system for the child.  “When a father is unavailable or unable to parent,” says Smith, “certainty about paternity often empowers a grandparent or other relative to help.”

Identigene says it is offering free laboratory testing for social workers because the company appreciates the champion social workers are for kids and families.  “Social workers help families and children in so many settings from schools to hospitals to agencies like Family Resource Center.  We are proud to support social workers any way we can,” says Smith.

Identigene is seeing results of the awareness campaign on social media sites like Twitter. Tweets reflect a common theme.  Consumers are surprised to learn that DNA paternity testing is so easily available at the corner drugstore or supercenter.  Four years after DNA testing first appeared nationwide on drugstore shelves, the company says there is a long way to go in terms of educating the general public.  The national TV campaign is a first, and an attempt to close the knowledge gap.

Steve Smith, Executive Director of Identigene says, “Television is great way to increase awareness.  So many people associate DNA paternity tests with TV talk shows. We want to let people know that Identigene offers a private, affordable way to get 100% accurate DNA paternity test results.”   Part of the awareness push is an online resource library, housing a variety of brief videos that answer many common questions about paternity testing.  To view the videos, go to http://www.dnatesting.com/dna-test-resources/video-library.

The newly released ad campaign highlights three separate, but important parts to a puzzle – mother, father and child. Each commercial begins with an incomplete puzzle board and then finishes with an intact family. Identigene understands that paternity answers are not a cure-all, yet research shows that children who can identify their biological father are less likely to engage in criminal activity, live in poverty and suffer from abuse or neglect.  While the retail kit is for a simple DNA paternity test, Identigene also offers more advanced services such as Family Reconstruction.  If the biological father is deceased or unavailable Family Reconstruction helps determine paternity based on testing the DNA of other family members.

Identigene offers a variety of DNA testing not mentioned in the commercial. For example, a maternity test confirms the identity of an adopted person’s biological mother, an avuncular test identifies aunts and uncles, and a sibling test reveals the truth about brothers and sisters.  DNA testing for immigration is also an important service.

Interest in knowing for sure if one is or is not the father is growing rapidly.  For example, Google searches on the term “not the father” have climbed steadily since 2007. http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/you-are-not-the-father  Furthermore, celebrity paternity cases receive extended media attention on social media sites, magazines, TV and even music radio.  Advocates, jurisdictions and legislators have also begun taking notice.  In 2011 the state of Texas passed a statute allowing men to request paternity testing (DNA testing) even long after their divorce or paternity suit has been finalized. http://www.dennisfuller.com/dna-paternity.php

It is estimated that over 500,000 paternity tests are performed annually by AABB accredited laboratories.  The Relationship Testing Accreditation Program is based on standards for the performance of tests for relationship and provides for the assessment and accreditation of laboratories performing relationship testing. The list of AABB Accredited Relationship Testing Laboratories specifies those laboratories in the US that have attained AABB accreditation in relationship testing. There are over 40 AABB accredited relationship testing laboratories. This accreditation helps laboratories achieve quality performance. http://www.aabb.org/sa/facilities/Pages/RTestAccrFac.aspx

Do you or someone you know suspect that you are not the father? 

Results of a recent survey indicate that more than one in ten (11 percent) adults ages 18 years and older said they have personally been in a situation where a paternity test was appropriate, and nearly one in five (18 percent) said that they or a close friend or family member have questioned paternity.   Although these figures signify the prevalence of paternity questions among men and women, it was men – nearly twice as many men as women – who acknowledged their intent to resolve their paternity questions in the coming year.  (*Identigene commissioned survey results)

“Knowledge is empowering,” says Steven Smith, Executive Director of IDENTIGENE, the largest direct-to-consumer DNA paternity testing laboratory and maker of the Identigene DNA Paternity Test. “It’s important for children and families to know the truth about paternity.”  If you suspect that you are not the father, DNA paternity testing can help answer your suspicion. http://www.prweb.com/releases/IdentigeneDNA/paternityfraud/prweb10073501.htm

Are you paying child support but are or may not be the father?

You are not alone. Many men who are not the biological father of a child, are in fact, legally financially responsible for that child.  Noncompliance of child support responsibility can result in jail time.  In the case of Turner vs Rogers which examines child support “…an estimated 50,000 persons are kept in jail or in prison on any given day in the U.S. for child support arrears.”   http://drhelen.blogspot.com/2012/01/estimated-50000-persons-are-kept-in.html

You may wonder if there are any legal options for men paying child support who may not be the father of a child.  For example, in the state of Texas, an option exists, but has strict time limits.  If DNA test results show you are not the father, you can legally stop child support payments- even if you continue to see and have a relationship with the child. With the assistance of a Texas attorney, Dennis Fuller, Identigene spent several months this year using social media and advertising to inform Texas residents about the time-sensitive child support ammendment. http://www.dennisfuller.com/dna-paternity.php Every state has their own laws regarding paternity and child support. If you suspect paternity fraud, please refer to your state’s requirements for disestablishment of paternity on an official state government website or contact a local family attorney.

If you suspect you are not the father, you can find out for sure.

Paternity answers have never been easier to obtain. DNA Paternity testing can be found locally at retail pharmacies and Walmart supercenters across the nation. http://www.dnatesting.com/drug-store-paternity-test/buy-now.  IDENTIGENE makes paternity testing simple, affordable and convenient, providing paternity resources, consultation and Test AssuredTM results.   IDENTIGENE DNA Paternity Tests are 100% accurate and also allow for a court-admissible option.

Paternity results will determine if you are not the father and can also reveal often life-changing information.  While only 1/3 of the cases tested by IDENTIGENE are found to not be the father, IDENTIGENE recognizes the uniqueness of the story and questions behind each paternity DNA case and offers a variety of resources to assist individuals and families with the impact the paternity test results can create. http://www.dnatesting.com/dna-test-resources

Visit http://www.dnatesting.com/dna-paternity-test/identigene-dna-test-kit

*About the Identigene Paternity Survey The Identigene Paternity Survey was conducted online with a random sample of 1039 men and women aged 18+– all members of the Impulse Research proprietary online panel. The Impulse Research proprietary online panel closely matches US population demographics and the respondents are representative of men and women aged 18+. Research was conducted in December 2011. The overall sampling error rate for this survey is +/-3% at the 95% rate of confidence.