Top 10 Facts about DNA Paternity Testing

1. Where it all began
   Genetic fingerprinting, DNA testing and DNA profiling are techniques used to distinguish between individuals of the same species using only samples of their DNA. The process was invented by Sir Alec Jeffreys at the University of Leicester and was announced in 1985.

   Jeffreys refined his DNA fingerprinting technique, by developing DNA profiling based on highly variable regions in the DNA molecule. DNA profiling therefore focused on just a few of these highly variable regions, making the system more sensitive, more reproducible and amenable to computer databasing. With highly automated and sophisticated equipment, the modern-day DNA profiler can process hundreds of samples a day.

   For more information on the story behind DNA Profiling the Wellcome Trust has produced an excellent guide featuring insights from Professor (now Sir) Alec Jeffreys.

2. Non-paternity rates are NOT 30%
   If the media is to be believed then the results of DNA paternity tests reveal that between 10% and 30% of all children are not related to the father who has been helping to raise them. Like others, including Professor Brenda Almond, Emeritus Professor of Moral and Social Philosophy at the University of Hull and a member of the Human Genetics Commission, Cellmark argues that this is not hard data because the results of paternity tests are not taken from an unbiased sample of the general population.

   Professor Almond commented that the paternity study in the papers was performed over a period of 50 years in Polynesia, Mexico and Amazon and its results (4% non-paternity) are not relevant to the current UK position. She said that the 1990s UK-based figures should be considered instead and that these showed that non-paternity was closer to 2%.

3. 40,000 DNA tests carried in 2005
   It's actually very difficult to accurately estimate how many DNA tests were conducted in the UK last year. We know from the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB.org) that in the US there were over 354,000 in 2003 but there is no similar body in the UK collecting data.

   Our estimate is based on our own data, the data on court cases which is available from the Department for Constitutional Affairs on Family Law matters and our estimation of the sales through internet based DNA Paternity Testing companies.

   If the volume of tests in the UK were compared to the USA on a like for like basis (tests per million people) then the number of DNA Paternity tests in the UK for 2003 we would have expected to see 72,500 tests carried out - as with a number of things we are a few years behind the US.

4. If I say my tests are "court approved" they are!
   A number of companies claim that their tests are "legal" or "Court Admissible" - sadly they may not be. For the results of your paternity test to be accepted as evidence of paternity in UK courts of law under section 20 of the Family Law Act your tester must be on the Department for Constitutional Affairs' list of accredited DNA Paternity Testing suppliers.

   To achieve that status the tester must have attained ISO 17025 accreditation and they must affirm that they adhere to the Department of Health's voluntary Code of Practice. The code is currently being reviewed in light of the changes in the industry since it was published in March 2001.

   This has been given further credance by the Human Tissue Act which came into force in September 2006 and which places additional restrictions and responsibilities on those conducting DNA Paternity tests. The HTA has requested that (other) DNA testing companies take urgent action to review the content of their websites and their practices to ensure that they are complying with the HT Act and the Code of Practice on Consent.

   Other than this guaranteed route it is up to the court whether it decides to accept the results of a DNA test.

5. What else you can discover from a paternity test
   With the exception of being able to identify that the DNA sample came from a man or a woman - nothing. This is very important! The interest in DNA testing is such that people may be worried that their sample could be used to discover a whole range of things about them - they need to be reassured that DNA Paternity Testing will not lead to this.

   DNA testing can be used to learn a number of things including susceptibility to a range of diseases - however the DNA sample that is taken for Cellmark's Paternity Testing will ONLY be used for Paternity Testing and customers will be reassured that information regarding the test results is only released to those individuals that the customer nominates.

   Cellmark complies with the requirements of the Data Protection Act - samples are normally destroyed after 3 months and all identification paperwork is destroyed after 1 year.

6. My DNA profile is unique
   As a certain lager brewer would say..."probably". The chance of two people having the same DNA profile is extremely (really extremely!) remote. For the purposes of simplicity we normally state that the chances of finding a matching profile from an unrelated individual in the general population are less than 1 in 1 billion [1000 million]. In reality the figure for a standard analysis will be greater than 1 in 10 to the power 14.

   However, identical twins, those that have developed from the same fertilized ovum share the same genetic material, will have the same DNA profile. To identify which is which comes down to the use of alternative technologies including fingerprints - identical twins do not have identical fingerprints!

7. Babies, blood groups and DNA testing
   It used to be that you couldn't undertake paternity testing on new-born children because the procedure was based on using blood tests and blood groups don't settle down

8. Genealogy
   Paternity testing is about identifying relationships between people of different generations. Some people use similar DNA tests to go back a lot further and research their history.

9. Myths
   As we learn more about the Human Genome you would think that the myths surrounding DNA Paternity Testing would go away - but apparently not. Here is a selection of Cellmark's favourite myths:

1. Blood Group and Paternity - despite what some may say it is not possible to conclusively confirm a child's paternity by using blood typing. What you can establish is that the parents of the child had specific blood groups e.g. A, B, AB or O.
2. Eye Colour and Paternity - this analyis provides a lower level of certainty than blood grouping does - eye colour is an inherited trait but it's not as definitive and specific to an individual as a DNA test can be.
3. It must be blood - it used to be that a sample of your blood was required to undertake DNA paternity testing but not anymore, simple mouth swabs which collect cheek (buccal) cells are all that is required.

10. Home DNA testing is not "illegal"
    Cellmark is waiting for clarification.

    The Human Tissue Act creates the offence of "DNA theft", making it illegal to test someone's DNA without their consent. Additionally the Department of Health's voluntary Code of Practice requires you to have an independent person taking the sample to ensure that consent is obtained before any testing is done.

    Despite this there are a number of internet sites specifically advertising "discrete" or "infidelity" tests which ARE illegal under the Act. In October 2006 the HTA requested that a number of other DNA testing companies take urgent action to review the content of their websites and their practices to ensure that they are complying with the HT Act and the Code of Practice on Consent.

    From our discussions with Government we understand that additional guidelines will be included in the soon to be revised voluntary Code of Practice to ensure that Home or "Self Sampling" Paternity testing meets the requirements of the legislation.