Paternity testing is a highly accurate method of identifying whether a man is a child’s biological father. For a peace of mind paternity test, cheek (buccal) swabs are used to collect cheek cell DNA from the alleged father(s) and the child.

These samples can then be analysed and compared in the laboratory to identify matching DNA markers (loci) in the DNA samples. Every person inherits half of their DNA from each of their biological parents, so such a comparison can help us to establish the probability of paternity.

When testing the biological father, both the man and the child will share enough identical sections of DNA to confirm a biological relationship. If the tested man is not the biological father, this will not be the case.

A ‘peace of mind’ test means that the paternity 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 a 100% accurate and reliable form of paternity testing, and if you only need it for your own knowledge, then it is a more affordable solution to determining the paternity of a child.

A ‘court-approved’ paternity test is a test that can be used as proof of paternity in legal cases. The difference here is that the DNA samples are collected by a third party under 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 safely transported back to the laboratory to prevent the possibility of tampering.

The process in the laboratory and the results are just as accurate for a peace of mind test as they are for a legal paternity test. However, having the DNA samples collected under chain of custody conditions reduces the possibility of foul-play for legal paternity testing, such as tampering and bogus sample donation (e.g. the wrong person’s sample being used due to a fraudulent submission).

DNA testing can be an extremely emotional time, and not all our customers 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 visit our facilities, to the delivery of your results in a secure way.

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

• 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 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

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 our paternity test will only be used for paternity testing. Customers can be reassured that information regarding their test results is only released to those individuals that the customer nominates.

Genau Pathology Laboratories conforms to the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Samples are destroyed after three months and all identification paperwork –hard copy and electronic files – are destroyed after 5 years.

Our Sibling DNA test results are 100% accurate and reliable based on the samples we receive at our laboratory.

Yes, the Sibling DNA test can be used to determine whether individuals are half siblings. Half siblings share one biological parent – the mother or father – and will normally share more DNA than people who are not related.

This makes it possible to use sibling DNA testing to determine whether individuals are:

• More likely to share one common parent (i.e. they are half siblings, with one biological parent in common) or
• Are more likely to be unrelated

For the most conclusive result, we do ask that the biological mother also provides a cheek swab sample, if possible.

However, this is not essential, and we can still perform a sibling DNA test without the mother’s sample.
Your test kit will contain enough cheek swabs to collect DNA from two siblings and the biological mother (if available).

Our standard grandparent test is already industry-leading, as it analyses 25 DNA markers (the industry standard only analyses 16-21 markers).

What makes Genau Labs unique is that we can also analyse up to 45 DNA markers. This allows more genetic material to be analysed, which strengthens the result and provides additional reassurance.

This is ideal for customers who want the most powerful DNA test available.

It is also particularly useful in tests of a more complex nature, such as a grandparent test, where the chance of obtaining a conclusive result will always be lower than the more straightforward paternity or maternity tests. This is because the DNA hasn’t been directly inherited. The enhanced test will increase the chance of obtaining a conclusive result.

A guaranteed result or your money back.
At Genau Labs we know that you want a DNA test to get an answer. However, we need to tell you that not all tests are conclusive and you may not get a definitive answer to your question.

It is the best kept secret within the industry that aunt/uncle testing can be up to 40% inconclusive (four people out of 10 will not get a result after paying for the test). Our award-winning DNA laboratory has managed to reduce this inconclusive rate to 28%, so only around one in four people will not get a decisive answer.

This is obviously an improvement but is still not acceptable to Genau Labs. Consequently, we have introduced our guaranteed result or your money back promise.