America's Largest Drug Store Chain is Now Selling the Identigene DNA Paternity Test Kit Over-the-Counter at 4,785 Stores Across the Country. Identigene's Retail DNA Testing Service Can Be Used for Personal Peace-of-Mind or Legal Proceedings.
SALT LAKE CITY -- Identigene today announced Walgreens has begun over-the-counter retail sales of the Identigene DNA Paternity Test Kit. It is the first DNA test kit to ever be sold over-the-counter and, with the addition of Walgreens, is now available in more than 15,000 retail locations in 48 states. Walgreens is also offering the DNA paternity test kits through its Web site, Walgreens.com.
Prior to the advent of the Identigene DNA Paternity Test Kit, the generally known method of obtaining a DNA paternity test often required court involvement, weeks of waiting for results, and a cost of several hundreds of dollars. Identigene's retail kit makes the process a more convenient and affordable service available in the family planning or home diagnostic aisle of the local pharmacy.
First offered in a retail storefront in November 2007, Identigene has since sold more than 60,000 DNA Paternity Test Kits nationwide. "People with paternity questions responded immediately to purchasing the test kits at their local drug store," said Identigene COO Doug Fogg. "It is a convenient and familiar place for people to buy products they can trust."
DNA paternity testing is the most powerful and accurate method of determining parentage. Identigene's laboratory routinely provides test results with probabilities of paternity greater than 99.99 percent. A pioneer in DNA family relationship testing since 1993, Identigene is accredited by AABB.
DNA paternity test participants collect a DNA sample by rubbing the inside of their mouths using swabs provided in the kit. The DNA samples, along with consent forms and lab fee, are then sent in a postage-paid return envelope to Identigene for processing. Results are available within three to five business days of receipt at the laboratory. Customers can choose to receive results by mail or online through a secured Web service. All information remains strictly confidential.
Although the Identigene kit is not intended for legal purposes, consumers who wish to use the results for legal proceedings may contact Identigene customer service to coordinate specific specimen collection and chain-of-custody procedures with a disinterested third-party. While the specimen collection process is different for legal testing, the laboratory analysis and reporting for Identigene's DNA testing is the same for both legal and personal purposes.
