Legal DNA Paternity Test

A ‘peace of mind’ DNA test means that the test can be self-administered at home using one of our kits that we will send to an address of your choice, in discreet, plain packaging.

It can be used for your own knowledge and peace of mind, but as the samples will have been collected by you (self-administered), the results of the DNA test cannot be used in legal proceedings.

It is still an accurate and reliable form of DNA testing, and if you only need it for your own knowledge, then it is a more affordable solution then a legal DNA test.

A legal and ‘court-approved’ DNA test is a test that can be used in legal cases.

The difference here is that the DNA samples are collected by a third party under strict chain of custody conditions. In these circumstances, a trained sample collector will ensure the DNA samples are collected from the right people, that the correct consent is obtained, and that the DNA samples are transported back to the laboratory to prevent the possibility of tampering.

If you require a DNA test for your own personal knowledge only, you can order a peace of mind DNA test online now.

The DNA samples are obtained using cheek (buccal) swabs which are rubbed gently and painlessly on the inside of each donor’s cheek to collect cheek (buccal) cells.

For a legal DNA test, the samples must be collected by a third party under strict chain of custody conditions. In these circumstances, a trained sample collector will ensure the DNA samples are collected from the right people, that the correct consent is obtained, and that the DNA samples are transported back to the laboratory to prevent the possibility of tampering.

Once you have placed you order, we will contact you to arrange the sample collection. Our professional sample collectors can collect DNA samples from any of our walk-in centres or from an address of your choice, while observing strict chain of custody conditions.

1. Every test participant must have 2 passport-sized photos. The photos must be clear, in colour and show the entire face, unobstructed by hair, hats, sunglasses or anything else that can make identification difficult. The sample collector will need to endorse these photos.
2. Each test participant must also provide a form of identification that is recognised under Irish law, such as a birth certificate, passport, driving licence etc.
3. The sample collector will have the legal DNA test kit, which will include the necessary consent forms for each test participant to sign.

A legal DNA test can be performed at any time on a person of any age, including new-born babies and grown-up children/adults.

There is no minimum age requirement, and the procedure for collecting the DNA samples is totally painless. The DNA samples are collected using a simple cheek (buccal) swab, which is rubbed gently and painlessly on the inside of the cheek to collect cheek (buccal) cells.

Consent is crucial in legal DNA testing, regardless of the age of the participants. Any person aged 16 or over must provide their own consent (a signature) for their DNA samples to be used in testing.

For children under the age of 16, consent must be provided on their behalf by an adult with guardianship for the child.

Legal DNA testing can be an extremely emotional time, and most of our customers do not want other people to know that they are undertaking such tests.

That’s why we go to great lengths to ensure 100% privacy and confidentiality for our customers, from the moment you place your order, to the delivery of your results in a secure way.

Steps we take to ensure confidentiality throughout the testing process include:

• Sending your secure, password-protected results direct to the email address you provide when placing your order
• Keeping all correspondence confidential. For example, online payment transactions do NOT name AlphaBiolabs as the recipient on bank statements
• Limiting access to your personal data to those people who have a business need to know
• Protecting your data from being disclosed in an unauthorised way, by using a secure server for financial transactions on our website
• Adhering to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

AlphaBiolabs uses the very latest technology and techniques in DNA analysis to perform legal DNA testing.

Every human being is born with a DNA profile that is completely unique to them (except for identical twins, who share the same genetic material).

Each person inherits half of their genetic material from each of their parents, with mum and dad each passing half of their DNA profile to their children.

These profiles make up the building blocks of a person’s DNA.

In the laboratory, it is possible for DNA scientists to analyse the DNA of an individual and identify where a person shares matching ‘building blocks’ – alleles – with one or more people.

DNA markers that are shared between the tested individuals can determine whether they are related.

If you’ve been shopping around for a legal DNA test, you may also have noticed that many testing laboratories talk about the number of ‘loci’ analysed within the cost of the test.

Loci is in fact the scientific term for the locations of DNA markers within a strand of DNA: a genetic ‘street address’ for a DNA marker within the DNA strand.

Because loci are located on chromosomes and we inherit one chromosome from each of our parents, each locus (location in the DNA strand) is home to two alleles (one from each parent).

AlphaBiolabs is the ONLY testing laboratory in Ireland to analyse up to 153 DNA markers (loci).

In DNA test example (A) you can see that the child has inherited half of its genetic material from its mother, and half from the alleged father. This indicates that the man and child share enough DNA markers to verify a biological relationship.

In DNA test example (B) you can see that the alleged father does not share any DNA markers with the child and can therefore not be the biological father.

Our legal DNA test results are accurate and reliable based on the samples we receive at our laboratory.

We are the ONLY testing laboratory in Ireland to analyse up to 153 DNA markers (loci), ensuring a conclusive result and making our legal DNA testing the most powerful available.

We are also:

• ISO 17025-accredited – the highest international quality standard for testing laboratories
• Certified to ISO 9001
• We are also listed as an accredited DNA testing provider on Treoir – the national information service for unmarried parents

Find out more about our accreditations and certifications here.