Blog

Twin birth rates are declining in Ireland: here’s why

In Ireland, almost 2 in 100 births are twins. While global data has shown that the rate of multiple births has gradually increased since the 1980s, with factors such as fertility treatments and women starting their families later on in life contributing to this, new figures present a stark change. Information from a Senior Parliamentary […]

Drug & alcohol testing for work and official matters

What is drug and alcohol testing? As a leading drug and alcohol testing laboratory, we test for a wide range of drugs and their metabolites using hair, oral fluid, urine, and nail samples. We also offer a full alcohol testing service including point-of-care breath tests, blood analysis, nail analysis, hair analysis and SCRAM Continuous Alcohol […]

Did you know these celebrities had a twin?

There are plenty of famous siblings in the A-list world including the Kardashians, the Beckhams, and the Williams sisters. But what you might not know is that some of our favourite celebs have a lesser-known twin. As a leading DNA testing laboratory, we often meet families that have experienced multiple births, with twins being the […]

DNA Test Accuracy – How do I know I’ll get the correct results?

DNA relationship testing has become readily available to everyone over the past few years, but how do you know that the results of a potentially life-changing test are accurate? In this blog, we’ll look at the accreditations and proficiency testing schemes that AlphaBiolabs has in place to ensure that your tests results are 100% accurate, […]

World Maternal Mental Health Day 2023: supporting new families across Ireland

World Maternal Mental Health Day takes place across the globe on 3 May 2023. The event has been running since 2016 when an international group of maternal mental health activists, clinicians, academics, and people with lived experiences came together to raise awareness and demand better maternal health services. Designed to shine a spotlight on maternal […]

Double Celebrations on DNA Day

It’s DNA Day today (25 April) – the annual, worldwide celebration of the amazing contribution that the discovery of the DNA double helix structure has made to medical science, forensics and genetics. This year the celebrations are set to be doubled – as it’s not only the 70th anniversary of the incredible discovery of the […]

Oh Brother! Hollywood stars could be surprise siblings

Hollywood A-listers Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson might actually be half-brothers, according to news reports, following revelations by McConaughey in Kelly Ripa’s ‘Let’s Talk Off Camera’ podcast. Whilst discussing their new Apple TV+ comedy called ‘Brother From Another Mother’, in which the pair play fictionalised versions of themselves, McConaughey revealed how life could be imitating […]

HSE publishes fresh alert over ecstasy danger as ‘super-strength’ MDMA on the rise

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a fresh warning over ecstasy use, following reports of ‘super-strength’ MDMA sweeping Europe. According to an update published on the HSE’s drug information service, drugs.ie, rising numbers of MDMA-related hospital admissions and deaths in some countries have been attributed to a higher concentration of MDMA in illegally-manufactured […]

6 reasons to order a paternity test (that you may not have thought of)

When we talk about the reasons why people might want a paternity test, the first thought that probably comes to mind is confirming paternity for the purposes of child maintenance. However, there are many reasons for ordering a paternity test that go beyond ensuring a child is cared for financially. In this blog, we look […]