Deciphering Daddy’s DNA

A paternity identification test is conducted to establish whether a person is the biological father of a certain individual. In recent years fatherhood has been a mystery. No more. Advances in genetics have made paternity tests one of the simplest and most reliable medical tests ever available. DNA samples can even be taken from the dead to settle paternity claims. Far from Hollywood, DNA-based paternity tests are used every day to determine child support and custody or to put a worried mind at ease. With new technologies paternity tests are becoming easier and cheaper.

Previous paternity tests included blood type sampling in the 1960’s with only 40% accuracy rate. In the 1970s, new tests based on variations in white blood cells raised the exclusion rate to 80 percent. Modern DNA testing has made paternity testing almost foolproof, raising the accuracy rate to 99.99 percent for the most common tests. Current DNA tests make it possible to use old or degraded DNA samples, such as random cells from a man's razor or even from earwax on a used Q-Tip. Sometimes dental floss tells the tale.

The current techniques for paternity testing are using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. DNA for the most part has dominated as the most popular method for paternity testing with an accuracy rate of 99.999%. That’s 99,999 out of 100,000 for the case where the mother’s, the child’s, and the two disputed father’s DNA are available. With advances in biotechnology the persisting question, ‘Who’s your daddy?’ is more than answerable.
Posted by: Anna Waldie 42027267

Reference:

Shute, N. (2007). ‘Genetic advances have improved paternity tests’, US News, 3/4/07 at http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/articles/070304/12test_2.htm Accessed 24/05/09