Paternity Testing Companies – How to Choose 

Paternity testing companies are not all the same. Here’s a common scenario; You’ve decided to obtain a paternity test and as you sit in front of your computer perusing the many paternity companies online and reading all the promises and guarantees, you are left indecisive.  What company do you choose? They all seem to make so many promising claims.  As a consumer, the choices seem to be limitless, but how do you know that you’re getting what you pay for?  A little homework should be all you need to gain the peace of mind needed to trust that your results will be reliable.

Paternity Testing Companies

What Should You Look For?

First starters, any paternity company you consider using should have a physical street address and a contact telephone number. Additionally, the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) accreditation should also be intact: and the company should indicate which laboratory they use.  This accreditation is important because there are no monitoring government agencies for paternity labs, minus the state of New York.  An AABB accreditation ensures that the DNA lab used is legitimate.  Follow your questions about AABB accreditation with 2 more probing questions and your choice should be easy to make.  Ask the potential company how many DNA locations they test initially and what their minimum guaranty of the probability of paternity is.  A simple call should help garner all the necessary information needed to mak a good choice.

Three Simple Questions…

The answers you receive to 3 simple questions should reveal enough about the potential paternity company you are considering to help you decide which one to go with.  Any reliable company should be AABB accredited and tell you which AABB laboratory they use.  They should also test at least 16 DNA locations and provide a 99.99% probability guarantee of paternity: that’s including DNA results with mutations and the absence of the mother’s DNA.  You should be able to secure all these results without paying for additional tests.  Make sure to read the fine print and look for specific, in writing, answers to all your questions.

How Can You Verify?

Fortunately, Some of the most important questions you ask any potential paternity company can be verified.  You can verify AABB accreditation by simply going to the AABB website or calling (301)907-6977.  Questions about DNA locations tested should receive specific answers, not vague generalizations.  Furthermore, once the question regarding the initial testing of the necessary 16 DNA locations is answered, be sure to probe deeper by asking about the percentage of probability they guarantee: this question is important because a 99.99% result should be guaranteed even if there are DNA mutations and no maternal DNA present.Armed with a little bit of information, it is possible for the consumer to make a choice they are comfortable with.  Without government regulation of most paternity companies, it is important that the consumer does their homework to ensure that they receive the most reliable accurate results available.