Q: How is the DNA obtained?

1) Photo ID required of all adults involved (e.g., a driver's license).

2) A Digital photograph is taken of each party involved, when available.

3) A thumb print is taken of each adult involved.

4) The DNA Paternity Testing Laboratory information sheet is filled out for each person sampled.

5) Buccal (cheek) swabs are collected from all parties.

6) The DNA Paternity Testing Reports are generated in a clear and concise manner. All reports are forwarded to PSI Inc. experienced medical staff and handled in a confidential manner.

7) Written reports of the Paternity Testing results will be provided to the mother, alleged father(s) and/or Attorneys. Consultation regarding the results is also provided. Testing cells from the cheek or from the blood is equally reliable. DNA can also be obtained from a deceased person or a baby before it is born. A baby can be tested at any time after birth.

Q: How old must the child be in order to be tested?
A: The child can be as young as one day old. For prenatal testing, samples can be collected between weeks 10 and 20 by amniocentesis or CVS.

Q: Are the results conclusive?
A: Yes. Guaranteed to be either 0% (exclusion) or over 99.999% proof of paternity, when testing the alleged father, the mother and the child.

Q: Will the results stand-up in court?
A: Yes, our results will stand-up in any court in the country as we use laboratories nationally accredited by AABB - the American Association of Blood Banks.

Q: Is the Buccal (cheek) swab test as accurate as the blood test?
A: Absolutely! All nucleated cells have the exact same DNA. There are numerous advantages to swabs, all at no additional charge.

Q: Can the test participants be drawn at different times?
A: Yes. Samples are united once they arrive in the laboratory provided proper identification information is enclosed. Our laboratory will store DNA from the first samples as long as necessary until the last sample has been received. Once extracted, DNA is stable indefinitely.

Q: How can I be sure my sample has not been switched?
A: When an individual comes in to give a sample, identifying information such as driver's license and social security number are taken. Then the Laboratory requires that the person obtaining the sample take a photo and fingerprints of the individual receiving testing. Then each person that comes in contact with the sample must sign a "chain of custody" form. This process is designed to eliminate doubt that the tested sample is from the correct individual.

Q: Where can I have the test done?
A: PSI can service anyone throughout the World, through our network of collection sites.

Q: How long does it take to get results?
A: PSI has the quickest testing time available, often within 10 working days, or less after all the specimens are received by the lab. If you telephone our laboratory to inquire, we will be able to provide you with the information that your test has been initiated or that your test has been completed.

Q: Are results admissible in court?
A: Yes. The report issued by PSI is a legal document. Our results are always more reliable than the courts require.

Q: How does paternity testing work?
A: DNA testing is much more than just a simple blood type test. When a child is conceived, he or she receives a copy of each gene from the mother and from the father. Thus at every tested DNA marker the child will have a maternal and paternal copy to compare with the tested parents. What is DNA?

Q: What if the mother will not participate in the testing?
A: We can proceed with the alleged father and child for paternity testing but be advised that it may take a little longer to receive results and the probability of paternity may be reduced.

Q: What if the alleged fathers are related?
A: It is important to notify the laboratory when the father in question is biologically related to another potential father (father-son, brother- brother, uncle-nephew, etc.). People who are related have more of their DNA in common with each other than others. In fact, identical twins cannot be distinguished by DNA paternity testing.

Q: Can paternity testing be done prenatally?
A: Yes. An obstetrician can perform a procedure such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS) to collect cells from the unborn baby. This can be done as early as 9 or 10 weeks of pregnancy. These cells are then used for DNA paternity testing before the child is born. Amniocentesis, for example, uses a thin needle inserted through the woman's belly into the sack of water surrounding the fetus. The procedure takes only a few minutes, nevertheless the pregnant woman will need to consider the small risk of complications associated with the procedure (including miscarriage), as well as the cost of the procedure itself. The attending obstetrician should be contacted, and the procedure discussed in detail before it is undertaken.

Q: What if my baby is nearly due?
A: Blood from the umbilical cord can be collected at delivery and used in DNA paternity testing. This is safe and painless for both mother and child. Speak with the delivery room staff in advance and please be sure to have the appropriate paperwork on-hand at the time of delivery.