Frequently Asked Questions

No, there is no age limit for testing. Any of the DNA tests can be performed on individuals of any age, even newborns. If the patient is a minor, the legal guardian must sign the DNA testing consent form.

No, the DNA test kits do not have an expiration date.

DNA is collected by rubbing a brush gently inside the mouth against the cheek for 15 seconds. The collection is safe and painless and can be performed on individuals at any age, including infants.

Your results will be available in your secure online account as soon as testing is complete. Your results can also be emailed or mailed to you, if requested.

All test kits are stored at room temperature before and after sample collection. Test kits can be stored indefinitely prior to sample collection. Test kits should be returned for testing within 3 months after sample collection.

No. The testing will only proceed for DNA samples collected using the sterile mouth swabs provided with each kit.

• Poor quality of the DNA sample, which can occur if the proper collection instructions are not followed.
• Late lab fee payment. Laboratory testing will not begin until lab fees are paid in full.
• Rare genetic variations may require further testing and cause delays.

Test kits contain DNA collection instructions, a DNA Test Requisition Form and buccal (mouth) swabs for one individual.

The DNA collection kits can be shipped to any country in the world.

Yes, your results are 100% confidential. No one will be able to access your account or your results unless you give them your confidential account login. You can change the password to your account at any time. Please remember to safeguard your login information and not share it with anyone.

SNPs and STRs are different types of variation throughout our DNA. SNPs are single nucleotide polymorphisms, where a single DNA building block (nucleotide) is changed to a different nucleotide. They are slow-changing mutations and provide ancient ancestral information (back thousands of years). STRs are short tandem repeats, where a small section of DNA is repeated multiple times. During DNA replication, “slippage” can occur around these STRs, meaning that variation occurs a lot more often than for slow-changing SNPs. STRs are incredibly useful for tracing recent ancestral information (within the last few hundred years) and are also used for forensic analyses.