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July 24, 2008 7:58:44 AM CDT

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Determine Your Daddy—at the Drugstore

Posted Mar 27, 08 8:26 PM CDT in Science & Health 

(Newser) – The sometimes vexing task of determining a child's father can now be solved by plunking down $29.99 at the local drugstore. A Utah company has expanded sales of its do-it-yourself DNA kit to Rite Aids in 30 states after sales soared in sample markets, MSNBC reports. Identigene of Salt Lake City expects to sell 52,000 of them this year.

The kits, which don't require FDA approval, include swabs to collect DNA samples from the cheeks of the child and the parents. The material is sent to a lab, which emails the results back within a week (for another $120). The company says the accuracy rate is 99%, but legal experts say results may not hold up in court for now. Critics say such genetic testing is too important to be sold in such an informal way and want government oversight.

Source MSNBC

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The Indentigene kit is not subject to FDA oversight, and genetics and legal experts worry that it will only lead to families needlessly breaking up.   (Shutterstock)
The Identigene DNA Paternity Test Kit, the first-ever product of its kind available on retail shelves, is now being sold at Rite Aid stores in 30 states.   (AP Photo)
Men can now establish their paternity with a DNA tests that requires cell samples from the potential father, the child and its mother.   (Shutterstock)
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FDA  • DNA  • parents  • father  • paternity test


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