Home DNA Paternity Test in Stores
Identigene Brings Genetic Testing to the Corner Drugstore
Mar 31, 2008
Who’s Your Daddy?
For thirty years its been possible to swing by the corner store, pick up a pregnancy test and quickly see if parenthood is immanent. If the test is positive, the woman is in the unique position of knowing with absolute certainty that the fetus growing inside her womb is her biological child. The prospective father can only hope.
It may sound like a crass observation, but it happens to be true, and much of the scientific field of social evolution focuses on how the certainty of maternity and uncertainty of paternity have shaped male and female behavioral strategies. Well, this month social evolution meets paternity testing for the masses.
Identigene Home Paternity Test
March 30th, the Identigene at-home DNA paternity test made history as the first home genetic test ever to be available in stores (the tests have been available online for several years).
This month the over-the-counter paternity test was rolled out nationwide though the Rite Aid pharmacy chain and will soon be available through other retail pharmacies. The genetic test is sold off the shelf for the cost of $29.99. Once the buyer obtains the DNA samples, there is a $119.99 fee for laboratory processing.
The DNA Blueprint
Each individual’s entire genetic blueprint is found in every single cell of his or her body. The DNA for the Identigene paternity test can be extracted from a sampling of cheek cells lining the mucus membrane inside of the mouth.
Cheek cell samples are obtained by running a cotton swab inside the cheek. The kit provides all materials necessary to collect and mail the three DNA samples to the laboratory where the individual DNA fingerprints are analyzed and compared. Identigene promises results with at least 99% accuracy within three to five days.
Over the Counter Won’t Hold Up in Court
Although the tests may be accurate, for results to have legal significance a third party must verify the identity of those tested and that the samples were not tampered with. Legal paternity tests are still only available online and involve more verification of participant identity and sample quality.
These over-the-counter tests may end up being most useful for eliminating the possibility that a certain man is the father, and therefore avoiding pointless court proceedings.
More Information on Genetics & Paternity Testing
See the Washington Post article Dollar Signs in Double Helices to learn more about the Identigene paternity test or explore the topic of genetics on the science education website Science Prof Online. There are also additional Suite101 articles about DNA fingerprinting and paternity testing, including DNA Paternity Testing RFLPs.
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