New DNA Testing Kit Now Available At Your (But Not Our) Local Drugstore

Now you can pick up a DNA paternity testing kit next time you’re in the drugstore trying to hide your UTI medication and yeast infection treatment inside a magazine at the check-out line:

Beginning yesterday, Rite Aid started a national rollout of the Identigene DNA Paternity Test Collection Kit, with a suggested retail of $29.99, but sold at some stores for $19.99. That price does not include the $119 to have a lab evaluate cells wiped off the cheeks of the child, alleged father and mother, and send the results.

The test result will not hold up in court, but that’s not the intent, said Doug Fogg [Ed. note: Like a superhero!], chief operating officer for Sorenson Genomics of Salt Lake City, the maker of the product.

“This is for people who are just curious. It is peace of mind for people who want to know but do not want to involve a physician or an attorney,” Mr. Fogg said. “They might want to know the paternity of their child or their own paternity so they can rely on family medical history.”

Well, that does sound special. Although, truth be told, we were really looking forward to celebrating the coming of our first child with an announcement that’d go something like this:

Surprise, boo!

DNA test as close as your local drugstore [Post-Gazette]