Further to my blog posting yesterday indicating how an artificial insemination nightmare was uncovered by consumer DNA testing for ancestry purposes, CeCe Moore (Your Genetic Genealogist), who helped the family identify the biological father and wrote the blog posting Artificial Insemination Nightmare Revealed by DNA Test, has blogged an update: Artificial Insemination Story Covered on Salt Lake City KUTV CBS Affiliate and University of Utah Releases a Statement. (As of 2 Mar 2014, the link to the video of the initial coverage by KUTV is no longer available, but there is an Archived Video Story.)
I suspect this will be picked up by the national news networks. Also, Business Insider Australia has written an article. I won't be surprised if a movie is eventually made based on this story.
UPDATE: "Ashley", "Paula", and "Jeff" (Annie, Pam, and John Branum) were interviewed on CBS on 14 January 2014: video at Family discovers fertility fraud 20 years later: "It almost seems surreal".
UPDATE: "Ashley", "Paula", and "Jeff" (Annie, Pam, and John Branum) were interviewed on CBS on 14 January 2014: video at Family discovers fertility fraud 20 years later: "It almost seems surreal".
Cheek Swab versus Saliva Sample?
By the way, KUTV did make a mistake in their report when they indicated that testing at 23andMe involved a cheek swab – testing at 23andMe involves collection of a saliva sample. My mother, father, and I have each had our DNA tested at more than one DNA testing company and we all found the cheek swab method used by Family Tree DNA and National Geographic's Geno 2.0 to be much easier than the saliva collection method used by 23andMe and AncestryDNA – although note that the Geno 2.0 test is only used for deep ancestry, so don't go for that test if your main interest is finding DNA matches. In particular, my father, who is old, frail, and suffers with Parkinson's disease, could only produce half the amount of saliva required by 23andMe – I was expecting that they may have needed him to supply another sample in order to extract sufficient DNA, so I was pleased that his results came through without any problems. You might want to take into account the method of DNA collection if you are planning on testing anyone who is old, has physical problems, or in young children.
Free DNA Testing for Parkinson's Patients
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Through their Parkinson's Disease (PD) Research Initiative, Dad was able to be tested at 23andMe at no charge, including free shipping charges to the UK (which are very hefty to anywhere outside the US: $60 for Canada and $75 for other international versus $10 for the US). They do ask a series of questions to confirm you really do have PD and you need to provide details of the treating physician – see Here for the questions and the ordering details. Note also that if someone with PD has already bought a kit from 23andMe, the same form can be used to obtain a refund!
So my father has joined Muhammad Ali (see YouTube video opposite) to help revolutionize the way Parkinson's disease is studied and hopefully accelerate the search for a cure. |
Muhammad Ali and 23andMe’s Initiative (1:53)
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