DNA Paternity Testing

You’ve sent in your samples now for the results….We’ve received some excellent questions recently about reading Identigene’s Results Statement. We want you to trust and feel confident that you understand the wording of the Results Statement.

According to accreditation guidelines, Identigene is required to word the results statement a certain way. Unfortunately, we cannot deliver the results with the exact words “You ARE the father” or “You are NOT the father”.

To simplify the statement, please look at the formula below:

“John Doe (insert alleged father’s name) is excluded as the biological father of James Doe (insert child’s name) = “YOU ARE NOT THE FATHER”.

OR

“John Doe is not excluded as the biological father of James Doe” = “YOU ARE THE FATHER”.

Secondly, the results statement will provide DNA profiles for further explanation. Remember, this is the data that our laboratory used to determine the results – “excluded” or “not excluded” or simply “you are not the father” or “you are the father”. The cheek cells provide our laboratory with a set of DNA markers (up to 15). These markers are used for identifying individuals. The “locus” or marker location shows two alleles (numbers) for each person tested. These numbers represent a “gene” that has genetically passed down to the person – one from the biological mother and one from the biological father.

According to genetics, a child MUST have one matching number to the father in each “locus”. In some cases, there are natural mutations where the child has a slightly higher or lower value than the father but these are rare. *If the alleged father is “excluded” aka “not the father”, they might have sharing numbers in certain “loci” (the singular form of locus) but to be determined the biological father, they would need to have sharing numbers in EACH loci.

At the end of the results statement, you will see a Combined Percentage Index (CPI). This number needs to be 100 or greater to be determined the biological father. When the percentage is 100 or greater, the probability (scientific chance) that you are the father will be 99% or greater.

Identigene recommends submitting the mother’s cheek swabs along with the child and alleged father’s check swabs. This helps strengthen the probability of paternity if there happens to be natural mutations in the DNA alleles of the child.

If for some reason Identigene has questions about your results, they will contact you and send you additional swabs for free so that you can resubmit your test swabs.

We hope this helps simplify and summarize your results statement. As always, please feel free to call us at 1-888-404-GENE.

A Home Paternity Test, which we call “Peace of Mind” paternity tests, are “real” paternity tests. They undergo the exact same process in the lab as a court-admissible DNA paternity test. Once they arrive at our lab they are treated no differently. The ONLY difference between the two is the way the DNA samples are collected.

With a home paternity test, you will pick up the kit from your neighborhood pharmacy or order it online. Once you get the kit, you rub the swabs on the inside of the cheek of the child, the alleged father, and the mother. Place them in the sample envelopes and mail them to Identigene. You will have the results of your paternity test within 3-5 business days.

The DNA samples will be processed in our accredited DNA paternty testing lab and your results will be accurate to 99.99%. Now, you certainly could submit these results to a court. And the judge MAY accept them. But most courts are going to want proof of identity for each person tested.

So what about a legal paternity test?

A “legal paternity test” or court admissible paternity test, is conducted by a third party, not the test participants. The DNA sample collector also verifies the identities of the test participants. That proof of identity is included in the Paternity Test report, making the results admissible in court.

If the people being tested for paternity are the people who were swabbed, a legal paternity test and a home paternity test will have the same, accurate, result.

If you want to know more about the details of getting a legal paternity test you can visit Identigene’s site at www.dnatesting.com/dna-paternity-testing/legal-paternity-test.php or call one of our DNA test consultants at 888-404-GNE  (888-404-4363).

The most common question I remember when explaining results to customers was, “What does not excluded mean?”  This phrase can be one of a few phrases that someone may see in the conclusion portion of their DNA Paternity Report.

Well, not excluded means just that.  It means that the person who was tested cannot be excluded as the biological father of a child.  When this appears on a report it will also show a probability of paternity of 99% or higher.  Because of the nature of DNA testing we cannot just out right say that someone is the father of a child.

I hope this sheds a little light on this phrase.  Next time we will talk about other phrases that may seem a little confusing on your DNA Paternity report or other DNA Test results.  Any specific questions on results feel free to comment on the blog or email me at kstyer@identigene.com

How do I pay for the testing?

If you are looking to order the test either over the phone or on our website it will need to be paid for with a credit or debit card.  You can also mail a money order to our labortory with a request for your DNA Testing Kit to be sent to you.

If you have purchased a DNA Paternity Test Kit at your local pharmacy (currently available at CVS, Rite Aid, Meijer, or Fruth Pharmacies) you have three options for payment.  You can include a money order with your DNA test samples, you can include your credit or debit card number with your DNA test samples, or you can call our client support group to prepay for your testing with a credit or debit card number.

In either case we do not currently accept personal check as a method of payment.

Where can I have results sent when testing is complete?  Can I get one copy sent to me and one another party?

On your order form it has two methods to receive DNA Test results.  One is through the mail.  This is mailed through first class mail and will generally arrive a few days after testing has completed.  You can also request to get your DNA Test results online.

Many people mistake this for emailed results.  At this time we utilize our website to upload all DNA Test results.  You can view your test results online if you set a username (usually your email address) and a case password.  As mentioned in Thursdays post this case password is important for many reasons including getting your results over the phone.  It is not listed on our order form as a method to receive results, but if you have a password you can contact our Client Support Team at 888-404-4363 to have your DNA Test results read to you over the phone.

Regarding the second question, yes, you can have results mailed to more than one location.  Because the order form only one place to place an address you will need to include the second address on a seperate piece of paper.  Please ensure to state that this second address is for results so that our recieving group will enter the information properly.

Well, these are a couple of common and important questions our customers ask all the time.  If there are other questions you would like to see on the blog email me at KStyer@identigene.com or call me at 801-462-1465.

Well, really the exact time frame for your DNA Test will depend.  A DNA paternity test will generally take three to five business days from the time samples start testing in the laboratory.  Many people confuse this time frame with the day they mail samples.  This is the expected time frame and a large majority of tests are completed within this time frame.  Unfortunately, there are rare cases where a sample does not give us everything we need the first time it is tested and is tested again.  This may delay the DNA test results slightly.  Like I said, this is not the norm but it can happen.

This three to five business day time frame for your DNA Paternity Test is assuming everyone being tested used the cheek swabs provided with the kit for their sample collection.  If the father or child is deceased and another type of sample is used, a tooth brush for example, the time frames are slightly different.  Because a special sample like this requires different extraction (getting the DNA from the sample) processes it will increase the time required for testing.  In most cases this type of DNA Paternity Testing will take 3-4 weeks to complete.

Other types of DNA Testing may have different time frames, like Sibling DNA Testing.  This type of testing can take anywhere between three to four weeks.  This is because the analysis that is required for siblings is more complex and is calculated differently than DNA Paternity Testing.  The same time frames apply to Aunt/Uncle DNA Testing also known as Avuncular DNA Testing and Grandparent DNA Testing.

Our lab works at finding new ways to become more efficent and cut times down as much as possible.  As I said before, I know its never fast enough when you are having a hard time sleeping without the answer.  If you have suggestions for the blog or questions on today’s topic, leave a comment or email me at kstyer @identigene.com.