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To use your DNA test results in any legal forum, the test must be performed according to strict procedures and testing standards. Although there are currently no government regulatory bodies governing paternity testing, laboratories committed to providing quality services submit to voluntary inspections by accrediting bodies. Courts and other government agencies consider a laboratory’s accreditations before accepting any DNA test result as evidence.
The following are organizations that recognize a laboratory’s excellence in DNA testing. You should ONLY trust a laboratory that is accredited by the five institutions that oversee the DNA paternity testing industry:
The American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) has been setting the standards for parentage testing for over 20 years. It monitors the development of new technologies and reviews laboratories to ensure that they are using scientifically valid procedures.
The National Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC) accredits paternity laboratories according to the standards of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/ 17025, which creates standards to be followed worldwide, and the DNA Advisory Board, which uses the standards issued by the FBI Director.
The College of American Pathologists (CAP) aims to foster excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine. Our laboratory is accredited by CAP for molecular diagnostic services, including paternity testing.
The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) protects the interests of New York patients by conducting rigorous inspections on all laboratories that perform testing for New York residents. If you are in the State of New York, make sure that the laboratory you are choosing has a certification from NYSDOH.
The Clinical Laboratory Amendments Act (CLIA) specifies regulations for the transport and testing of human samples, ensuring that laboratory results are timely, accurate, and reliable. Our laboratory has been accredited by CLIA for over 8 years.
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