Collecting Your DNA Sample
As there are so many different options here, the variety of samples to be taken is quite vast. Most human tests will require a buccal sample, which is taken easily by rubbing a swab on the inside of the cheek. Some will require blood, but you’ll never be asked to draw this yourself.
For the pet tests, there are as many ways to take DNA as there are animals. When ordering, you should be able to take advice on how to draw a sample. Dogs and cats often use cheeks swabs, birds require feathers, and horses need a blood sample from the tail, to name a few.
How Fast do the Results Come Back?
Each analysis takes a different average length of time to be returned. Most relationship results are returned within a week of the lab receiving your sample.
What do the Results Include?
This will entirely depend on what you’re using the DNA for.
How Does Easy DNA Protect Your Privacy?
This provider complies with a privacy policy that guarantees your DNA will never be stored or used without your consent.
Matching With Relatives
You can compare two samples to see if they carry a family match.
Easy DNA’s Prices and Details
All prices are detailed on the website, except for some medical tests. This is likely due to them being covered by insurance. The categories are fairly self-explanatory, but here’s a short breakdown.
‘Relationship’, ‘paternity’, and ‘prenatal’ tests are used to determine if there's a family relationship between two samples. ‘Cat’, ‘dog’, ‘horse’, and ‘animal tests’ can be used for a number of reasons, but are usually to search for disease, defects, traits or to trace an animal's lineage. ‘Clinical’ and ‘health tests’ are used to diagnose a disease or advise a healthier lifestyle, and ‘ancestry tests’ look into your family history.
Summary
Easy DNA has a remarkable number of options available, and clearly lays out the price of each, making it a respectable organization. The only real downside here is that, with so many options, this provider is a jack of all trades and a master of none.
You might prefer to choose one category, and visit an organization that specializes in this. For example, Embark DNA is just for dog testing and offers an affordable inspection that should cover most bases.
