Paternity tests on drugstore shelves

WASHINGTON, March 29 (UPI) -- Paternity testing kits are showing up next to the pregnancy tests in neighborhood drug stores, a manufacturer said.

The Washington Post reported Saturday that Rite Aid drugstores this month began selling the Identigene DNA paternity test. The kit sells for $29.99 -- plus $119.99 for laboratory processing.

The results, which are said to be 99 percent accurate, are promised in three to five days, the newspaper said.

"This test really is about providing peace of mind, answering questions of paternity for people who simply want to know," said Douglas Fogg, CEO of Salt Lake City-based Identigene.

Fogg said his company sold 10,000 kits to the chain in three months, the newspaper said.

The tests do not hold up in court since legal paternity tests require verification by a third party. The company sells legal paternity tests online for $399.

John F. Banzhaf III, professor of public-interest law at George Washington University, said the retail paternity tests may help avoid court battles.

"The idea here is to give you a probably very, very accurate test initially, which might then eliminate the need for a court proceeding," Banzhaf said.