Discreet paternity test: what stays confidential?

Short answer: at Adnà, only the person who placed the order receives the result, by email, as a PDF. Nothing on the package says it's a paternity test, you can even ask for an unbranded envelope, and your data is never sold or shared.

A paternity test often touches on something delicate: a doubt within a couple, a family story, a decision to make. Here is what stays private, step by step.

Who sees the result?

Only you. The report is sent as a PDF only to the email address used for the order. It isn't mailed, and it isn't sent to the other participants, a doctor or a lawyer, unless you forward it yourself.

A few tips to stay in control:

• order with an email address that only you can access;
• if several people should receive the result, agree on it beforehand and forward it yourself;
• at the lab, only the people performing the analysis handle the samples.

A note: for health tests, Adnà anonymises your sample with its partners. For a parentage test, the sample has to be linked to a person, since that's the whole point of the test. It is therefore handled with access limited to what is strictly necessary.

What shows on the package and the credit card statement?

The package: the kit sent by mail shows only the Adnà name and its slogan, "Votre ADN a des réponses" ("Your DNA has answers"). The word "paternity" doesn't appear. For extra discretion, you can ask for a plain envelope with no name, or pick up the kit at our Montreal office, by appointment only. The kit ships the same day you order and usually arrives within 2–3 business days.

The card statement: the charge appears as "ADN A LA CARTE", with no mention of the type of test.

Paying in instalments: Klarna is available, but instalment payments also leave a trace in the Klarna app.

Sending as a gift: you can have the kit delivered directly to someone else, for example an alleged father who lives elsewhere.

Can I use a toothbrush or hair instead of a swab?

Yes, with limits. The cheek swab remains the most reliable method: it's quick, painless and works almost every time. Other samples are called special samples.

• Cheek swab (included), highest success rate: rub the inside of the cheek
• Toothbrush, 90% or more: used by one person only, air-dried 30 min before packing
• Blood, 90% or more: whole blood in a vacutainer tube (lavender cap preferred), or blood on blotting paper
• Nail clippings, 60–90%: 5–10 clippings
• Hair, 60% or less: 7–10 hairs with visible roots (cut hair won't work)

Other items can be tested, such as a cigarette butt, dental floss, a disposable razor or a comb, with more variable success rates. Write to us before sending to check that your sample is suitable.

A special sample costs $650 and takes longer, because the lab first applies an adapted extraction method.

An important reminder: a special sample doesn't remove the need for consent. Analysing an adult's toothbrush without their knowledge violates their privacy. See our article on consent Such a result can't be used in court either.

How long are DNA and data kept?

• Samples are destroyed after analysis by the laboratory.
• The lab's case file (forms and report) is kept for at least 2 years, as its quality system requires, and may then be destroyed.
• For a standard (swab) test, your data stays in Canada: our ISO 17025 accredited partner lab complies with Canada's privacy law (PIPEDA) and only shares results with Adnà.
• For a special sample, the analysis is handled by another ISO 17025 accredited partner lab. It disposes of informational test material within 30 days of completion, and legal test material within 6 months.
• The lab adds no genetic information to the report without the written consent of the people tested.

Also guaranteed:

• your data is never sold or shared with third parties;
• our partners use your information strictly to perform the analysis;
• you have the right to access, correct and delete your data, at any time, by writing to info@adnalacarte.com;
• in Canada, the Genetic Non-Discrimination Act prohibits requiring a genetic test or its results as a condition of a contract, such as insurance or employment.

For full details, see our privacy policy.

In short

• The result goes only to your email, as a PDF.
• The package shows only the Adnà name, and an unbranded envelope is available on request.
• Samples are destroyed after analysis.
• The swab is the best option. A toothbrush or hair is possible, but costs more and is less reliable.
• Your data is never sold, and you can ask for it to be deleted.

Keep reading:

• Legal or informational paternity test: which one do you need?
• Is a paternity test accepted in court in Quebec?
• Can you do a paternity test without the mother's consent?

Order a discreet paternity test → Questions before ordering? Live chat, info@adnalacarte.com or 514-233-5456.