If the paternity of a person is in dispute and you want absolute confidence that DNA testing will be conducted in an ethical and professional manner you should choose Cellmark.
For almost 30 years Cellmark's DNA Paternity testing service has been producing results which are accepted as evidence of paternity in Courts of Law.
Every paternity test will be carried out professionally and reliably by the UK's most experienced paternity laboratory. Our customers know that they can trust Cellmark's test results and be certain that they will be legally accepted.
For a court to accept DNA test results as evidence of paternity, it is essential that the court can be certain that the correct procedures have been followed, right from the taking of the samples to the reporting of the results.
The Ministry of Justice in the UK maintains a short list of companies who are accredited to carry out parentage tests as directed by the civil courts in England and Wales under section 20 of the Family Law Reform Act 1969.
Being accredited by the Ministry of Justice means that Cellmark abides by the the standards originally set down by the Dept. of Health's voluntary code of Practice and the subsequent Human Genetics Commission's "Common Framework of Principles" and the requirements of the Human Tissue Act. All reputable DNA testing services abide by the Codes of Practice set out in these. Cellmark is also certified to the International Quality Standards ISO 9001, ISO17025 and ISO27001.
The individuals being tested must give their consent for DNA testing. This is an absolute requirement under the Human Tissue Act 2004, failure to ensure this can lead to the offence of "DNA theft" which is punishable (in the UK) by a prison sentence of up to 3 years and/or a fine of £3000.
The samples are taken by an independent and suitably qualified medical practitioner or a Cellmark trained sampler. The sampler should not be related to the sample giver, nor have any financial or personal interest in the outcome of the paternity test.
Procedures are followed to ensure that the correct individuals are tested and to ensure that DNA testing is undertaken in a professional manner which complies with UK legislation. Cellmark's testing service provides assured levels of accuracy and reliability.
Please consider that choosing to have a 'peace of mind' or 'curiosity' DNA test may not be the cheapest option - if you subsequently end up having to go to court to resolve the issue you will need to undergo another test - this time a court approved test - so careful consideration of your options is sensible.
We recommend that you talk to a third party such as Citizens Information, your GP or a family friend. Alternatively you can call Cellmark on 1890 987 886 for free, confidential advice.
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