According to news reporters, TV talk show host Maury Povich has offered Michael Lohan a DNA paternity test to end a two-year dispute over whether he fathered a now 15-year-old girl during a disputed extramarital affair. Lohan is in discussions with the show’s producers over the details of his guest appearance.

Michael could quietly answer his paternity question with $149 for a piece of mind Identigene DNA paternity test or $349 for a court-admissible paternity test. (It’s the same actual test process, but special handling is required for legal testing). I understand why HE doesn’t want a private test…he’d miss all the public attention and it would be so….well…private.

I’d love to hear comments from someone who has actually been on a show to reveal paternity. Why did you choose TV instead of the privacy of your own home?

And, c’mon, if you’re one of the millions of Maury fans who love to see a dramatic, on-air paternity reveal, please leave a comment and tell me why you enjoy it. It’s just so interesting to me!

An recent example of what I am speaking of.   I answer all email sent through our online form.  I received an email from a gentleman who wanted more information about the status of his case.  I advised him I would have to first verify his case password.  He replied with his password.  However, when the reply came the header showed a different name, and this name was not listed on the case as a participant.

Our policies state that we cannot give any case information to anyone not listed on the case.  Because, I could not truly verify this gentleman’s identity I was not able to provide him with any case information.  I advised him that he is more than welcome to contact our client support group for more information.  Looking at this from his perspective I can see how this may be frustrating and inconvenient.

However, it is my job to look at this from all perspectives.  While the individual emailing could provide the password I could not verify that they had the right to any information pertaining to this case.  The biological mother in this case, who was tested, has the right to have her and her child’s privacy protected.

My concern in this particular case was that the alleged father’s significant other had located the password and thought that by emailing I would give her case info or even results.  So, for those who would like to email for case status.  Please be advised that if you want information about your case you will need to use your own email address and not that of a friend or significant other.

I hope that everyone reading this can understand our perspective.  Paternity Tests and the results that are produced from them are senstive to those being tested.  We must do everything we can to protect every person in these cases even if they do not want our protection.  I apologize if it makes anything inconvenient for anyone being tested, but to me it beats the alternative.

We require that a case password be set up to get any case information and/or results.  This can be set up two ways.  One is to fill out the case password field on your order form.  Even, if you don’t plan to get your DNA Testing results online you can fill out just the password portion.  If you forgot to fill this out before you sent in your samples you can also complete a Report Release Form.  This form can be emailed or faxed to you by a client support representative.  You will have to complete the form and email or fax it back with a copy of your photo id.

The password is important for many reasons but the biggest is to ensure that only you and those that are tested have access to your personal information.  If you have any other questions on this or any other DNA Testing topics don’t hesitate to submit them to the forum or by contacting our client support team.