Heritage ID DNA Test

Heritage ID is a revolutionary way to protect an individual’s genetic information. Heritage ID testing can take place on an ante-mortem basis (i.e. before death) or on a post-mortem basis. The end result is a Heritage ID card which includes identifying information on the donor as well as a complete DNA profile and an actual DNA sample The Heritage ID card can be attached to a person’s will and used to resolve a post-mortem claim to the estate.

Paternity test

If a claim is made to the estate of a male by an alleged child, it may be necessary to test a sample from the deceased against the alleged offspring. The sample from the deceased could be sourced as follows:

• Preserved DNA from Heritage ID card
  
• Autopsy Sample
  
• Pathology Sample
  
• A cheek swab, fingernail, toenail, and hair sample from the deceased taken by the funeral home or pathology laboratory of a hospital
  
• Sample from exhumed remains

Kinship test

If a claim is made to the estate of either a male or female by someone other than a child, it may be necessary to conduct a DNA kinship test to ascertain if the alleged relationship is likely. Alleged relationships which can be tested include sibling (full or half), aunt, uncle, niece or nephew. Using either “known" samples from the deceased and/or samples from “known" relatives (i.e. children, parents, brothers and sisters), Orchid Cellmark’s laboratory will use the most appropriate DNA technology in an attempt to come up the most conclusive answer. Depending on the case, Orchid Cellmark’s laboratory may make use of either routine autosomal STR markers, Y-STR markers or mitochondrial DNA techniques.