How do the DNA tests actually work?
Everyone receives half of their DNA from their mother and the other half from their father. Fifteen specific locations on chromosomes from each of the samples are amplified and compared in the laboratory. Matches at these locations indicate paternity. How accurate are the DNA tests? Probability of an exclusion, that is the man is determined NOT to be the biological father, is 100%. Probability of an inclusion, that is the man cannot be excluded as the biological father is at least 99.0%. DNA paternity testing is the most reliable form of paternity testing available today. Why can you give 100% assurance that a man is NOT the father yet only at least 99.0% that a man IS the father? If the DNA does NOT match in more than 2 of 15 markers it can be said with100% certainty that the man is NOT the father. However, in order to say with 100% certainty that the man IS the father we would have to exclude every other male in the world. This is virtually impossible, therefore, we are able to give
