Secret DNA Testing Can NOT Be Legal

1st April 2010

paternity-express-secret-dna3

When an alleged father refuses to cooperate in Paternity DNA testing, or the child in question is older, and you don’t want them to know that their paternity is in question, a Secret DNA test can help.  However, the secret DNA test can not be legal, i.e., the results of any such testing cannot be used in a court of law or for any formal government purposes such as child support, social security claims, immigration, etc.  The secret DNA testing is equivalent to the peace-of-mind or home DNA test where participants simply need to know for personal knowledge and do not need a document for court; they may or may not collect the samples themselves and / or had access to the collected samples; instead they simply obtain an article / item used by the person or persons they want to test.  It is exactly what the name implies . . . secret . . . expressly for the knowledge of the person requesting the test.  There are three scenarios in which the secret DNA testing may be employed:

First Scenario:  An item from the alleged father, is obtained in secret and this item is tested for DNA. A control swab is also submitted for the child.

Second Scenario:  An item used by the child is obtained in secret and this item is submitted for DNA testing. A control swab is also submitted for the father.

Third Scenario:   A secret item is submitted for both the child and the alleged father.

There are many types of articles / items which may be submitted for DNA testing and profiling, however, the lab can never guarantee whether or not the article / item submitted will have sufficient DNA to create a profile and must do an initial scan.  If you ask, most labs will do what is known as a preliminary scan of the article and inform you whether or not they found enough DNA to create a profile before moving to comparison with the control sample.  It is always better to let the lab know at the time of submitting the case whether you want to be informed about the “article / item” profile before they move on to comparing with the control sample.  If sufficient DNA is not found on the article / item submitted, then there is no need to proceed on to comparison with a control sample.  Also, you can save a few dollars by doing it this way, however, time is lost, i.e. if you need to have results back speedily then the lab will have to wait until you contact them in order to give them permission to proceed to the second stage: comparison of the two profiles.  You decide which is best for your situation, and how you wish to proceed or not proceed.

To find out what articles / items can be submitted for testing, simply call the lab.  They will provide you with a full listing of what articles / items may be submitted for DNA testing as well as let you know what the cost of the initial scan of a submitted article / item would be.

DNA Testing Can Prove Infidelity

5th January 2010

paternity-express-infidelity31Many divorces in the U.S. are the direct results of sexual infidelity by one or both people in a relationship.  The frequency of marital infidelity vary widely, but experts estimates that some 60 percent of husbands and nearly 40 percent of wives have been unfaithful at some point during their marriage.  No one sex has a monopoly on infidelity!

 

Although stains on female undergarments could be attributable to urine, urinary tract infection, blood, feces or natural vaginal excretions related to menstrual cycle, ovulation, or vaginal infection; some stains on female undergarments could possibly indicate sexual infidelity.  Semen can be deposited on undergarments, panties, bed sheets, clothing upholstered furniture or other surfaces.  For up to 5 days after the sexual act, sperm cells can live in the vagina.  Whether on male undergarment or female undergarment, forensic analysis of suspicious stains would be necessary to determine the origin of suspicious stains.

 

A Forensic lab would need to analyze any suspicious stains in two stages: screening and DNA analysis.  A Forensic Analyst screens the suspicious stain using a battery of techniques to determine whether there is semen present.  If no evidence of semen is present, on undergarments, or sample presented, then there is no physical evidence of infidelity and, therefore, continued testing is unnecessary.

 

If the stain is identified as semen, then DNA analysis of  the stain and a reference swab sample from the partner, male or female,  is conducted to determine whether the semen came from the partner or some other unknown person. Stains that are the results of sexual activity are often a mixture of both partners doing the act, male and female DNA or male and male DNA.  Epithelial cells from the vaginal wall, mouth or skin comprises the female DNA.  Suspicious stains are cell typed using differential extraction which takes advantage of each cell’s unique type.  DNA profiles are generated from each extracted stain as well as from the reference sample for the male and / or female.  If the profile from the partner’s sample does not match the DNA from the stain samples presented, then some other man or woman created the stains

 

Likewise, stains on male undergarments could be an indicator of sexual infidelity with either male or female.  As well staining on male undergarments may be caused by urine, urinary tract infection, feces or semen.  The same type of analyses would need to be done with the known partner’s reference swab to determine whether the partner caused the tested stains.

 

Garments and or other samples should be stored at room temperature, and sent to the lab in paper bags or envelopes.  Never use plastic bags nor should you refrigerate the sample item.  The partner’s reference should be collected from the cheeks of the mouth using sterile swabs and sent to the lab in its own paper container.

DNA Testing Meets Child Safety

23rd December 2009

paternity-express-child-safetyEvery now and then there is an amber alert in some state or the other.  A child has gone missing, and sometimes the parent does not have an up-to-date photograph or they are so rattled that they sometimes appear incoherent and does not provide a proper description of their child. Ever heard “a picture is worth a thousand words”? Well we believe a CSIC is worth a million words.  We have had a program in place which has everything your local authorities and even if necessary the FBI can use as a tool.  It prevents precious time being wasted.  If ever you face a situation where your child becomes lost or missing, you simply hand a copy to your local police officials and it has everything they will ever need to identify your child though you may still have to provide a recent photograph of the child if necessary.:  It is a Child Safety Identification Certificate.

 

Just what is a Child Safety Identification Certificate?  It is a document / certificate which contains the DNA profile of your child and has his or her biographical data, such as full name, date of birth, height, weight, gender, race/ethnicity, hair color, eye color, residence, and a photograph of the child when it was compiled and a consent form which must be signed by a parent.  The photograph of the child will become part of the CSIC which is returned to you. Thereafter, parents are urged to take a photograph at least once each year if the child is over 15 years old but at least every 3 months if the child is age 0 to 15 and keep it with their CSIC.  Children age 0 to 15 features change dramatically as they grow.  The parent should always keep the CSI updated by keeping the most recent photograph of the child with it and making sure the photograph is updated at least once a year thereafter by photographing the child and keeping the most recent photograph with the CSIC.

 

Getting a CSIS is a simple, easy, painless procedure.  The DNA Profile for a CSIC is the same as doing a paternity test only there is no alleged father involved or being collected.  Collection is simple and easy; we send you a Child Safety DNA sample collection kit that has specific instructions for completing the enclosed form and two cotton swabs which should be used to collect specimen from inside the cheeks of your child’s mouth.  This can be done from the privacy of your own home (you can do the collection yourself, or you can bring your child into a center or have a technician come to your home to have it done).  You then sent the samples to our AABB Approved testing labs.  Just like in the paternity test, the child’s samples are profiled and a certificate containing all the information you provided and the photograph is sent back to you.  Nothing is kept by our lab just a record of the child’s profile if you should ever need an additional copy.  Processing of the CSIC takes approximately 5 business days.

 

Personal information you provide about your child will never be used or released without your express written consent.  The laboratory will store the samples for up to 6 months and they will store the laboratory results for at least 5 years or 7 years for New York Residents.

DNA Testing and Adoption

19th December 2009

Paternity-Express-adoptive-familyThere are thousands of adoptions each year in the United States, and inter-country adoptions accounts for quite a bit of all adoptions.  All combined, there are millions of adopted children now living in the United States.  Quite often, there comes a time in the lives of both adopted children and their biological parents that they want or need to find each other.  Their decision to find each other is varied, but quite often is triggered by some major event in their lives such as marriage or the birth of a child.  In modern medicine, the medical history of biological parents is indispensible in the diagnosis and treatment of disease in descendents.

More and more adoptive families and their representatives use DNA testing at various times during the adoption process, because knowing the biological identity of the child that they are adopting, especially through proper relinquishment, will alleviate some of the stress and uncertainty while raising their newly adopted child.

There also exists a DNA Reunion registry where adoptees and their biological parents may register by submitting to a simple DNA test and creating a profile for themselves.  This DNA test will produce a 16 marker DNA profile which may be input to the DNA Reunion database to search for any possible matches between a parent and an adopted child.  When a genetic match is identified clients are notified.  The profile remains in the database for some five years and is compared to all new profiles for possible matches as they are added.  After then the subject may renew their subscription if they choose to.

DNA Reunion is an advanced technology based registry that uses the power of DNA to reunite birth parents and adoptees. The technology of DNA facilitates reunification without having any biographical information about the birth relative that the adoptee is searching for.

Twin Zygosity DNA Tests

30th November 2009

Paternity Express-twin-babiesA Twin zygosity test determines definitively whether twins are identical or fraternal.  Using ultrasound examination of the placenta, an OB-GYN doctor may be able to tell whether twins are identical or fraternal.  After twins are born, a pathological examination of the placenta can also be conducted to determine zygosity.  However, scientists recommend DNA testing to determine zygosity, as studies have revealed that either method is not 100% accurate.  Occasionally when medical records regarding zygosity is lost, or unavailable, or when the twins physical characteristics vary and are different as they grow a zygosity test will reveal whether they are actually identical or fraternal.  Only a twin zygosity test that compares the twins DNA profiles to see whether they match exactly can conclusively answer that question: an exact match means that the twins are identical.

Identical Twins twins come from one fertilized egg, known as a zygote. The zygote, which usually develops into one child, grows and divide early in development stage to form two embryos which results in dentical twins. Because the twins come from one egg and one sperm, they have exactly the same DNA.

 

Fraternal Twins on the flip side of this Fraternal twins develop when there are two different eggs in the mother’s womb that are fertilized by two different sperms. Fraternal twins will not have exactly the same DNA, although like other siblings, they can be expected to share some of the DNA they inherit from both parents

The results of a twin zygosity test may be used to satisfy one’s curiosity and assist in health problems for the twins later in life or as they grow up. For example, if one twin twin should ever need an organ or tissue transplant the other twin would be a perfect donor as they share identical DNA.

DNA Testing Provides Reliable Answers Always

30th April 2009

Paternity Express - scientist-at-labWan’t answers, but need the truth? Want justice, but need proof?  DNA testing provide them all.  Search no more, a simple paternity test takes the worry or guessing as to who is or isn’t the father of a particular child out of the equasion.  The cost of DNA testing has become very affordable and testing readily accessible to nearly everyone.  No Longer does one have to wonder or worry about their situation.  A simple telephone call can get the ball rolling and with two to three days of making the initial telephone call, an answer is available.  One can seek the legal paternity test where the results are admissible in court or the home test (except New York State residents) where they collect their own samples and send it into our lab for testing.  Thus you can take the guessing out of the equasion.  Paternity testing has Also, more and more areas of law are turning to DNA testing for accurate answers.  

Ever heard of the Innocence Project?  It has and continue to use DNA testing to get wrongly convicted people free and out of incarceration.  So far a great number of poeple have been exonerated using DNA testing.  DNA testing may not only be used to learn who fathered a child, forensics DNA testing can be used to determine whether an accused person really was at the scene of a crime he or she is accused of committing. 

Even the fidelity of many marriages is being proven or disproven with DNA testing through the use of the infidelity DNA test one can positively establish whether or not certain stains were made by them or others.  Of course tone must provide their own sample for profiling and comparison with the profile of an identified stain.  Many people have sent in very unusual articles from condoms to bedsheets to personal article of clothing for testing.  Although these are not the only items that may be tested, one would simply need to contact our offices to establish whether or not their articles may be tested. We provide a full range of DNA testings for very many nearly any area you may need, and a staff of very knowledgeable case managers to assist you seventeen hours per day.

When You Need A Paternity Test

31st March 2009

paternity testThere are situations where you’ll need to make sure that you get the best paternity test and it doesn’t take a great stretch of the imagination to think of the circumstances where getting the best paternity test results would be for the best.

Even though the paternity test is by far the most common type of legal paternity test , there are other categories of dna testing that have been popularized by television and the movies. But these are not as popular as the prenatal paternity test or any of the others that are designed to mark out the biological relationship between a man and a child.

And one of the most important determining factors in the paternity test is the type that you want. It’s important to remember that while the home paternity test is seen be some as more convenient than the kind where the samples are collected, the paternity test results from this at home version are not admissible in court.

When you need a paternity test, you need to make sure that you start be determining which category is best for you.

Immigration Testing Is A Critical Procedure

19th March 2009

paternity testDna testing has come a long way since this genetic marker was first discovered and now there are many different ways that this science has been put to use for the betterment of the human race.

Of course the most common of the dna testing procedures that are familiar to the general public is the paternity test and the usual paternity test results that determine the biological relationship of a man to a child. As well there are other variations that include grandparentage  testing that is generally about marking the same manner of family relationships where the alleged father is not able to participate in the procedure.

Critical

Still one of the other procedures that might not be as widely known is immigration testing. This is just as critical in the sense that it reunites families that have been separated when one of the members immigrates.

It works this way.

When one of the members goes on ahead they often petition an embassy or other government agency to have the rest of the family brought along. Of course with the numbers that must be processed, Embassies began to see the need for a test very similar to the paternity test so that the members could be easily verified.

Risen To The Challenge

Of course there are certain companies that have risen to the challenge and all that catering to this challenging aspect of dna testing entails. At the top of the places that can do this work to the requirements of these Embassies and governments is paternityexpress.com.

They have the required test facilities all over the globe as well as mobile sample collections units that can be dispatched at a moments notice. One of the other things that speaks highly in the favor of this facility is the fact that their laboratories are all accredited by the proper agencies to ensure the accuracy of all the tests.

Although immigration testing is considered to be only one part of the entire dna testing matrix, it has become a very critical component of the immigration system here and in other countries around the world. Immigration testing is responsible for the reunification of families where one has gone on ahead of the rest, and the accuracy of the results allow those families as well as the government officials who rely on the results to feel secure about these tests.

Things That You Need To Know About The Paternity Test

19th March 2009

paternity test Most people have at least heard of the paternity test but they might not know what it’s really all about or about the science that goes into one of these tests. First off, they are generally aware that this form of dna testing is generally carried out to determine the biological relationship between a man and a child in cases where the identity of the man that has fathered the child is in question.

Samples

And of course that means that samples need to be gathered of the dna from each of the parties that are directly involved. It’s interesting to note here that there isn’t always a need to get the sample from the mother but ones that come from the child and the father are considered mandatory.

Depending on what the results will be used for, the legal paternity test is generally conducted in a laboratory when the samples are collected by an accredited staff and those samples are processed in a laboratory that meets all of the state standards where the paternity test is being conducted.

Home Paternity Test

On the other side of the fence for the legal paternity test is the home paternity test that is carried out, as the name suggests, at home. Here the results are not admissible in a court of law and the test is generally carried out for some personal interest.

Within the realm of the paternity test itself there are different methods that are used even including a prenatal paternity test that needs to be carried out by the proper doctor.

Facility

Regardless of the manner of paternity test decided on, there is a need to find the best facility where the samples can either be collected or both collected and processed. And there are necessarily some things that you’ll want to be sure of before you commit to any of these facilities. First and foremost, you’ll need to be sure that the place that you’re looking at has been properly accredited.

As well, it’s a good idea to make sure that there is some consideration as to the confidentiality aspect of the paternity test and that the paternity tests results will be released in accordance with your directions.

While the paternity test is the most common of all the dna testing procedures, this is one of the more diverse tests that have been derived from this scientific breakthrough.

The Paternity Test Has Come Of Age

10th March 2009

paternity testWhile there are other manners of dna testing that are in wide use today, there really isn’t another application of that science that has become as popular or widely used as the paternity test. Presently there are several different variations of this test and the legal paternity test differs from the home paternity test in the way that the results are used. 

Of course the legal paternity test is used to determine the legal responsibility and relationship of a man to a child, but while the ‘at home’ test strives to determine the same relationship, these paternity test results are not admissible in court. 

And there are other applications of dna testing that help to reunite people as well. For example, Immigration DNA testing is often a prerequisite from Embassies that have a request from one relative that would like to bring other family members with him to the county that he’s immigrated to.

 The point is clear. While the paternity test has become the more recognized application of dna testing that the general public sees, there are other uses that help people reunite in similar fashions.

Our Labs are certified by The American Association of Blood Banks, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, CLIA, and the New York State Department of Health