DNA Testing with special samples
Sometimes a person wants to do a DNA test for a loved one that died. If the loved one died recently and you are in the process of arranging a funeral and having to decide what to do with the remains, it could be a wise idea to get DNA testing done before a burial or cremation. In other cases, the loved one may have been dead for months, or even years, and their remains are long gone. In those cases, there might still be hope.
When I went searching for an answer to finding out how to do a DNA test for a person that passed away (specifically could the ashes be tested for DNA) I came across this company that could do a DNA test of the deceased through other means (as ashes have no organic material to test for DNA; the cremation process burns away anything organic).
Here is the information I found that I want to share with you.
All DNA tests offered by our laboratory can be done using non-standard samples (with the exception of the fetusSafe™ prenatal DNA test).
DNAForce understands that it is not always possible to obtain samples directly from the people that need to take part in the analysis. For example, the person might be deceased, lost or not available, etc. Consequently, it is possible to perform a DNA test using non-standard samples. Our laboratory has vast experience testing all the samples below.
Non-standard samples: Please note that due to the impossibility of determining the quality of the samples submitted prior to the analysis, the laboratory cannot guarantee the unconditional success of these types of samples. However, we operate the most up-to-date and modern laboratory equipment available and our success rate is one of the highest in the industry, this includes special samples, degraded samples or samples with low DNA count.
List of special samples for DNA testing
| Category | General comments | Shipping instructions | Success rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saliva collection inside the mouth with buccal swabs or Q-Tips. | Four mouth swabs per person collected inside the mouth by swabbing for 30 seconds. Most recommended method Highest success rate |
Ship in a paper envelope | More than 99.9% |
| 2 | Cigarette butts | Two to four butts | Ship in a paper envelope | 65% |
| 3 | Clothing | Hats, baseball mitt, underpants | Ship in a paper envelope | 50% |
| 4 | Dental floss | Do not touch the floss with the finger | Ship in a paper envelope | 75% |
| 5 | Ear wax | Q-Tips or cotton swab | Ship in a paper envelope | 75% |
| 6 | Chewing gum | Do not touch the gum with your fingers. Salt free gum provide best results | Ship in a zip-lock bag | 75% |
| 7 | Hair | The root must be present. Hair from a brush does not always work. We need six to ten hairs with their roots. | Ship in a zip-lock bag | 80% |
| 8 | Nails (Fingers/Toes) | Freshly cut nails work better | Ship in a zip-lock bag | 75% |
| 9 | Toothbrush | Let the brush dry in open air for 60 minutes. | Ship in a paper envelope | 75% |
| 10 | Toothpick | Do not touch the toothpick with your fingers | Ship in a paper envelope | 65% |
| 11 | Used Kleenex | Mucus. Ship in a paper envelope | Ship in a paper envelope | 95% |
| 12 | Sperm | Condoms, under-garments, clothing, etc. Liquid sperm: absorb the sperm into a clean cotton swab. Let the cotton swab dry in open air for 60 minutes. Sperm stains: Absorb the stain into a clean and humid cotton swab with distilled water. Let the swab dry for 1 hour in open air. | Ship in a paper envelope | 90% |
| 13 | Electric razor blades | Place in a paper envelope | Ship in a paper envelope | 50% |
| 14 | Razor | Place razor or blade inside a paper envelope | Ship in a paper envelope | 40% |
| 15 | Blood sample | Whole blood sample collected inside a lab tube. | Ship in the original test tube | 99% |
| 16 | Blood stain | Plasters, Tampax, tissue with blood | Ship in a paper envelope | 75% |
Contact us https://dna-testing.ca/test/special-samples.html
All locations: 1 800 830-6306
Email: info@dnatest.ca