Identigene 5

Our Take:
Relationship Issues and Solutions through inexpensive DNA Testing

At times, it seems as though practicing strong family values are slowly becoming a lost art. Call me old-fashioned, but it seems irresponsibility and general lack of culpability are superseding a traditional set of family-based ethics and common sense - regardless of lifestyle factors, demographics or other variables based on populace segmentation.

How does this affect me?

If you've never been a card-carrying member of a broken family, then issues surrounding child abandonment may seem trivial to you. However, our tax dollars are bearing the burden of welfare and child care costs. Where parents have refused to take show accountability for raising their children, or have 'skipped out' of parenting altogether due to loopholes in the legal process (ie; unable to prove a biological link between parent and child) costs add up quickly for both the taxpayer and the single parent. Cash, food, and housing assistance costs showed numbers upwards of $167 billion - roughly 6.5% of total federal spending in 2001 - and continue to increase‡. If you are a taxpayer, this should raise an eyebrow. Is there an easy (read inexpensive and readily obtainable) to establish, if not maintain, a parent's moral and financial responsibility to his/her child? Can we inexpensively ascertain a biological relationship?

More about DNA testing.

In the past, court ordered DNA tests for genetic testing was, to put it mildly, prohibitively expensive and time consuming. If neither parent was capable of providing the resources to cover the various costs involved in the process, there was no legal basis to indicate a person as a biological parent. of course, there may be subjective factors that weigh in to a court's decision, that being the case, parental obligation becomes more difficult to enforce. Costs of DNA or paternity testing (at the risk of implicating/clearing the potential father) are usually quite expensive. Some of the reasons for this are (but not limited to):
• Genetic tests are fairly rare, therefore labs are not always equipped to efficiently handle genetic testing.
• DNA testing is labor intensive.
• Legal DNA testing must go through multiple levels of review.
• Additional costs such as blood draw (or other specimen collection), genetic counseling, lack of insurance coverage, and physician fees incurred.

Is there an alternative to expensive DNA or paternity testing?

Fortunately, online DNA laboratories such as dnatesting.com or Identigene have proven themselves as not only a certified, court approved DNA testing lab, but an accurate and inexpensive alternative to standard hospital/physician involved methods. This new process can be done from home - requiring no visits to your physician for blood draw (or other invasive specimen collection methods.)

Home DNA testing - my experience.

For my review, I purchased a test kit found on the shelf at Walgreen's for less than $30.00, which included a 'cheek swab' for both the parent and child DNA sampling. After swiping the collections swabs, I sent the specimen to the (in this case, we went with Identigene) testing lab in the supplied container for analysis. The cost for the actual analysis was $119.00, which, with the initial kit cost of 29.00 came to a grand total of $148.99 - considerably less than the traditional doctor/lab visit alternative. Also, I was given the option to receive the test results via phone, email, online or postal mail. For my test case, I opted for the results to be mailed to me, as I prefer an actual printed copy to have on hand.

DNA testing: Final thoughts

Based on my subjective impressions, I have to say that the trouble and embarrassment associated with traditional gene testing were mitigated due to the ability to test from home. Objectively, the fast turnaround time for results (I received my results within 6 days) after I mailed the sample to their lab. Since the cost to obtain these results was also low, I felt this testing method was far more accessible to those who require gene testing or answers to questions regarding biological association. Overall, I highly recommend anyone looking for answers to these questions to visit Identigene (http://www.identigene.com) or DNATesting.com (http://www.dnatesting.com) for more information.

‡ wiki.answers.com/Q/How_much_money_has_been_spent_on _welfare_since_inception