the test kit

[f.a.]

A website doing paternity tests www.genetic-identity.com
Their test kit includes a swab and a card . First , you must use the swab to collect the cheek cells from inside your mouth , then you transfer it to the card . So , you send the card not the swab . May be using this method especially for the international orders could make shipping easier in the countries who have strict conditions for mailing a genetic material . am I right or wrong , and why family tree doesn’t think of that ? In fact , I don’t want to face a problem because of the shipping . I may dislike genetic tests because of this .

[admin]

Here is the reason why this cannot ne done:
When you collect material and don't keep it in a buffer liquid like we do, bacteria grows very rapidly, which reduces substancially the amount of DNA we would like to have. Most of the companies that use the card are paternity testing companies, because it's a one time test, and they don't do refinements or add-ons like we do, where a larger amount of DNA is needed.
We didn't have more than a handful of issues related to customs when dealing with international orders, and our recommendation to customers when dealing with international shipments is to write "swabs for genealogy purposes" and nothing related to DNA or anything related to biological materials. After all, whatever you have in the swabs is nothing more than a larger quantity of the same material that you would have in the stamp that was licked for that envelope... but.... the customs person would not understand that... therefore, go the simpler way.

[f.a.]

thank you max for the reply

[Jim Barrett]

Originally posted by max
We didn't have more than a handful of issues related to customs when dealing with international orders, and our recommendation to customers when dealing with international shipments is to write "swabs for genealogy purposes" and nothing related to DNA or anything related to biological materials.

What name is on the mailing label of the return envelope? It has been too long since I sent mine in to remember. Does it say Family Tree DNA? Wouldn’t this imply there was DNA in the envelope? I ask because I have a new member in Canada who is worried about returning the kit.

Thanks.

[IZZY]

I had no problems from Israel. (middle east)

Postal folks rarely pay attention to a DNA sample uless you draw attention yourself by Overstating contents in a coustoms decleration form.

I beleive the suggestion was to lable the material "Testing materials" ( an accurate term )instead of plastering "DNA- DANGER WILL ROBINSON!!!" or something like that.