If the paternity of a person is in dispute and you want absolute confidence that DNA testing will be conducted in an ethical and professional manner you should choose Cellmark.

For 20 years Cellmark's DNA Paternity testing service has been producing results which are accepted as evidence of paternity in UK courts of law.

At Cellmark we do not provide so called 'peace of mind' or 'curiosity' paternity tests. We believe that our customers get peace of mind by knowing that their paternity test will be carried out professionally and reliably by the UK's most experienced paternity laboratory. Our customers know that they can trust Cellmark's test results and be certain that they will be legally accepted.

For a court to accept DNA test results as evidence of paternity, it is essential that the court can be certain that the correct procedures have been followed, right from the taking of the samples to the reporting of the results.

The Department of Constitutional Affairs maintains a short list of companies who are accredited by the Department for Constitutional Affairs to carry out parentage tests directed by the civil courts in England and Wales under section 20 of the Family Law Reform Act 1969.

Being accredited by the Department of Constitutional Affairs means that Cellmark abides by the voluntary Code of Practice for genetic testing laboratories, and is accredited to the International Quality Standard ISO17025.

It also means that:

1. The individuals being tested give their consent for DNA testing.
This is an absolute requirement under the Human Tissue Act 2004, failure to ensure this can open yourself up to the offence of "DNA theft" which is punishable by a prison sentence of up to 3 years and/or a fine of £3000.

2. The samples are taken by an independent and suitably qualified medical practitioner.
The sampler should not be related to the sample giver, nor have any financial or personal interest in the outcome of the paternity test.

3. Procedures are followed to ensure that the correct individuals are tested.

4. DNA testing is undertaken in a professional manner which complies with UK legislation.
Our testing provides assured levels of accuracy and reliability.

Please consider that choosing to have a 'peace of mind' or 'curiosity' DNA test may not be the cheapest option - if you subsequently end up having to go to court to resolve the issue you will need to undergo another test - this time a court approved test - so careful consideration of your options is sensible.

We recommend that you talk to a third party such as the Citizens Advice Bureau, your GP or a family friend. Alternatively you can call Cellmark free on 08000 362 522 for free, confidential advice.