Home DNA Kits: How Reliable Are They?

Due to the modern prevalence of DIY projects available on the internet, you might doubt whether a matter as important as a paternity or an ancestry test could be depended on to be completed by yourself at home. There are certainly plenty of products procurable: laboratories around the world offer testing services to governmental agencies, hospitals and corporations, many of whom sell DNA kits to potential consumers for between $50 and $150 - this does not include the charge of getting the dna sample analyzed and the results returned. So, payment aside, can these at-home kits be depended on? And, if so, under which scenarios should they be used?

A DNA Kit is simply as good as the laboratory doing the analysis, and testing (or profiling) know-how has evolved quite a bit since the 1980's. The most widespread analysis performed in North America, termed the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, is employed by the FBI and is able to yield results that are above 99% accurate for samples involved in cases such as paternity or maternity tests. It works by comparing distinguishing regions of an individual's genetic profile (called loci) to the same regions in another's genome, and then employing statistical analysis to conclude whether or not the two samples both share inheritance patterns. Most modern laboratories now have the technical knowledge to properly execute this test. It is definitely possible for at-home testing kits, when utilized carefully and without contamination, to give an equally high success rate.

Ancestry DNA testing matches an individual's genomic material to population samples within a database. Due to the calculations involved, the outcomes are entirely based on probabilities. With optional paternal and maternal lineage testing, people can uncover their "roots": essentially statistical matches displaying how strongly their DNA correlates with ethnic populations in separate geographic areas around the world. Ancestry testing kits are not accessible in patient-doctor environments, are not covered by insurance, and are seldom used in legal disputes. Consequently, they are perhaps most recommended for Do-It-Yourself types who are curious about their lineage and might want to take part in a community of similar individuals.

The diverse types of DNA testing purchasable, such as maternity, sibling, avuncular (aunts, grandparents), and ancestry tests all carry distinct statistical accuracy percentages. As an example, verifying whether two people are siblings, who might share only one biological parent, will have a lower success rate than verifying whether two individuals are identical twins.

Determining whether an at-home DNA kit fits your needs depends on your inclination for privacy and whether or not the results will be used for legal matters. Some sellers are now providing extra services and documentation to provide for legally admissible test results. Further crucial considerations are the reputation of the company and the laboratories they adopt. Certification by the AABB (American Association of Blood Banks), accreditation with the Better Business Bureau, and exceptionally accessible customer service options are also recommended. After you have researched the ideal corporation, you can be assured that the outcome of an at-home DNA testing kit should be just as reliable as if you had the test performed at a professional setting.

Learn more about DNA Kits and ancestry tests.