People seek DNA testing for a variety of legal reasons. Some need proof of paternity to establish child support or seek custody rights. Others need a reliable proof of family relationship to resolve inheritance disputes, and others seek DNA testing during estate planning. Still others may need DNA testing to obtain legal rights or benefits, such as medical insurance, for their children.
Regardless of the legal purpose for your DNA test, there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a DNA laboratory. Below are some questions you should ask before you purchase a DNA test:
1. What steps are taken to protect the chain of custody?
The main requirement for DNA tests for legal purposes is a strict chain of custody—a process that ensures DNA samples are taken from properly identified parties. Without the chain of custody, a DNA test is useless because there is no proof of the identity of the parties being tested.
Some steps a laboratory should take include:
- Scheduling sample collection by a trained technician who has no interest in the outcome of the test.
- Requesting two forms of identification from each tested party.
- Obtaining proper consent from the tested parties.
- Taking a photograph of the tested parties at the time of the appointment.
- Sealing and tamper-proofing the DNA samples to ensure that they arrive safely at the laboratory.
- At the lab, checking the package for any evidence of tampering.
Ensuring a legal chain of custody is one of the major determinants of future validity of the testing results. It is also something you should not have to manage; the best DNA identity labs will provide this for you. But you still need to be proactive to ensure it is a priority.
Home DNA tests do not use a chain of custody process, and are therefore not reliable for use in legal situations.
2. How qualified is the laboratory in performing DNA tests for legal purposes?
Some laboratories specialize in legal DNA testing, while the trend for laboratories that have opened since 2005 has been to offer home DNA tests that are not usable for legal purposes, and only offer legal testing when asked. This can lead to les than optimal procedures for legal results that will stand up in all situations.
Some questions you can ask regarding a laboratory’s qualifications include:
- Is the laboratory a member of the AABB? How long have they had the AABB membership? Who among their scientific staff are active members of the AABB? AABB is the primary accrediting body that the courts and other government offices look for when reviewing a DNA testing case
- Is the laboratory ISO certified? ISO certification is an international certifications standard that ensures the quality of procedures used, from the laboratory to administrative processes.
- How many years has the laboratory been performing testing for legal cases? Only a few laboratories have such experience that courts immediately recognize and trust their DNA test results. Furthermore, the laboratory you choose must have extensive experience and familiarity in dealing with the requirements of legal cases.
- Does the laboratory have experts in difficult cases? Sometimes, DNA testing reveals complex family genetics. In other cases, extensive analysis is required due to closely related alleged fathers or when a different type of relationship (such as siblingship, or more distant relationship) is being tested. Such cases require a specialist in family genetics.
- Will the laboratory be around in years to come? There are no guarantees, but recently many laboratories have closed, making legacy information impossible to retrieve. Try to find a long-standing, solid laboratory, in case there are future needs related to the DNA test in question.
3. How well does the laboratory protect my privacy and confidentiality?
Individuals taking a DNA are concerned with protecting their privacy because they are often in sensitive situations. Many do not want to make their test a matter of public record, which is why they turn to private DNA testing companies.
Some questions to ask of the laboratory regarding their privacy practices include:
- How do you confirm a person’s identity when they call for information about their test? You can tell the quality of the laboratory’s privacy policy by the types of questions they use to confirm your identity.
- Who is eligible to receive test information or test results? Only those who are being tested should be able to receive the results.
- How do you ensure that my personal information (address, contact information, etc.) is not given to the other tested party(ies)? Many times, the tested parties are estranged and prefer not to have their contact details known by the other tested parties.
- Can you schedule separate appointments for the tested parties at different locations? The laboratory should be able to accommodate this request should you prefer not to be in contact with the other tested parties.
One of the most crucial choices you might make today is the choice of a DNA testing laboratory. It requires careful thought and research. The above questions give you a good start. For more information and a free consultation, contact DNA Diagnostics Center at 1-800-613-5768.
