In response to societal needs with respect to the authenticity of biological relationships, SYNLAB Nigeria has expanded its DNA testing capacity to include other forms of biological relationships.
Afolabi Obe, chief medical officer of the organization confirmed the change in name and testing from paternity testing to biological testing.
He stated that the organization earlier restricted its DNA testing to find out the authenticity of an individual’s father and has successfully established this over the years.
This expansion means that SYNLAB Nigeria can find out the authenticity of an individual’s mother, siblings, twin, kinship and other forms of a biological relationship.
Obe said this change seeks to meet the need within SYNLAB’s market and in line with the organization’s mission of providing actionable diagnostic information.
He says the unique positioning of the organization in Nigeria, including the spread of locations across the country and online, as well as its continued conformity with international standards concerning every diagnosis, prove SYNLAB’s capability in this new terrain.
On the privacy and confidentiality of the biological testing and results, the CMO said SYNLAB works in line with international standards.
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The company ensures proper client identification using government-approved means of identification, ensures adherence to standard procedure for sample collection and gives the final result to only the individual that has agreed to collect it. SYNLAB also requires the consent of each individual participating in any form of biological testing, including, paternity, maternity or siblings testing. The individuals may also present court affidavits where the forms of identification are not available. In the case of minors, SYNLAB requires the guardian’s means of identification, the minor’s birth certificate and their means of identification.
Recognizing that biological testing is sensitive testing, SYNLAB maintains precautions that ensure the accuracy and integrity of the test results. Apart from the staff’s use of exclusive equipment for each individual during sample collection, SYNLAB’s procedure also ensures that sample labelling, identification, packaging and sealing are done in the presence of the individuals involved in the testing. These procedures ensure that there is no mix-up of samples that could interfere with the result.
SYNLAB Nigeria is a member of the SYNLAB group, with a presence in over 35 countries in four continents. The organization has over 30 active locations across Nigeria and has been ISO 15189 certified since 2006.
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