Genepartner.com Review
GenePartner, a Swiss DNA matching website, looks at compatibility with your dating partner, and they claim that using cheek swabs to take a saliva sample will match you with other clients that you might be compatible with genetically. Still, there are some critics who have called this a pseudoscience. Meanwhile, there are others who are questioning if genetic technology has come far enough for this type of dating. Even after Medill News Service tried several times to reach GenePartner, they did not comment.
Testing: How it Works
After you have placed an order for your collection kit, you will give a saliva sample and mail it to GenePartner. It only takes two weeks, but the results will be examined, and the researchers at GenePartner will match you up genetically with other people who have also taken the test. GenePartner provided us with a demo result that looked at five key areas of compatibility:
- Type of Interest
- Overall Results
- Symmetry of Attraction
- Probability of a Successful Pregnancy
Where the Idea Came From
Originally, the scientific base for the product came from the University of Bern, and it was based on research that took place during the middle of the 1990s. In the study, females would smell a male t-shirt and rate it for attractiveness. When the study continued, what they discovered is that women most often would choose a T-shirt from men who had human leukocyte antigen genes that were more different from their own. The underlying principle of GenePartner is that people will often choose a person with genetic makeup that differs from their own. This is likely because it produces offspring that have a more robust immune system. Critics say that the biggest problem behind this research is that it is still premature.
This test does not include carrier testing which would determine if the children produced from this relationship would have genetic issues. Â Carrier testing is also becoming popular with dating couples.
Customer Service
GenePartner does offer email customer support but no immediate phone support. Considering this test costs $249, and they have been mentioned by big media outlets like Time Magazine, CNN, ABC News, Channel 7 and Galileo, you would think that the company would offer some type of phone support. When you hit the contact form, they do have an email portion that will let you choose if you want to be contacted by email or phone, but it would be nice if there were an actual customer support line.