How to tell if a DNA report is fake

“After the tests have been conducted, the report is written [by the laboratory scientist] and submitted to the supervisor for review. After the review, it is then sent to the commissioner [at the Directorate of GAL] for approval,” Mr Kwesiga said about the facility’s procedure.  

He was, however, not sure about the actual procedure in privately-owned laboratories. 
Some government officials are concerned that some private laboratories may not have clear structures of command and quality control systems.  

However, Mr Moses Kalule, the laboratory supervisor at a privately-owned laboratory doing DNA paternity testing in Kampala, said their tests are conducted by qualified personnel and rigorous processes are followed to ensure quality.  

“The person who is taking the sample is a qualified laboratory scientist or a clinician. The sample carrier is well designed to maintain the sample to avoid degradation,” he said. 

He added: “The reports always have credentials and stamps. There is no way results would be forged if you follow the right procedures and regulations that are in place.”  

Both Mr Kwesiga and Mr Kalule urged the public to always ensure that the facilities they choose to carry out the tests from are accredited, have qualified staff, and have clear procedures for testing that are strictly followed. The officials discouraged conducting tests in secret.  

According to laboratory experts, if the test results come back quickly or when they are inconsistent when checked at other facilities, it may be a sign that they were fake or inaccurate. 

Mr Kalule said DNA paternity test results from their laboratory are given two to three weeks after testing, while at GAL, the receptionists said the results take two to three months to come out.

“The samples are run in batches, you won’t run only one sample [you may have to wait for other samples to have adequate numbers]. Ninety-six samples are run at ago, so sample preparation takes time,” Mr Kwesiga said.  

According to scientists, once the laboratory receives your DNA collection kit, or gets a blood sample, it takes around two-three weeks to extract the DNA from the swabs in the kit, purify the DNA, and perform quality control testing to ensure the DNA is of sufficient quality and quantity. 

“But if everything is in place, [after purifying the DNA], results can take around 16 hours to come out,” Mr Kwesiga explained. 

Ms Judith Oboma, the managing director of Jowa Health Specialised Laboratory, said: “Fake DNA results come about when people want a shortcut. A person will want a DNA result and will walk to a place where they know people don’t do DNA tests. And maybe because you already have a relationship with the medical personnel, the person will go ahead and take a sample.” 

“And in that process, it is very easy for the person who is taking off the sample to mess up because it is not their field. The sample can be taken to the lab, or the person can easily forge the results,” she added. 
Ms Oboma, however, notes that it is hard to forge DNA results. 

Indicators of fake results
• Results coming out too quickly.
• Report not on headed paper with a clear name, contact and address of the laboratory. 
• Report not having stamp or seal.
• Report is carrying inaccuracy in writing and other inconsistency.
• Credentials of laboratory personnel or person who approved not indicated.
• Laboratory is not accredited.
• Staff are not qualified.