Govt Increases DNA Test Prices To Ksh27,000

Kenyans seeking DNA tests will have to pay Ksh7,000 more starting this month after the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) announced an increase in the price of DNA testing services.

KEMRI stated on Wednesday, January 8 that the price of the testing service rose from Ksh20,000 to Ksh27,000.

“We wish to inform our valued customers of a marginal price adjustment for the DNA Testing Service from Ksh20,000 to Ksh27,000 starting this January 2025,” the statement read.

The KEMRI Human DNA Identification Laboratory (HID) offers DNA Testing services in the areas of paternity and family relationship testing, a service that has become popular in recent times.

KEMRI offices in Nairobi. /KENYA MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE (KEMRI)

The laboratory offers services to both private clients and those referred by the courts, especially in family cases involving child support payments. According to information on the KEMRI website, the facility meets international standards and the institute aims to make the services accessible and affordable to everyone.

"Our facility meets international standards hence ensuring quality service. The laboratory serves private clients as well as those referred from courts. We aim at making the services accessible and affordable to all," reads part of the information.

KEMRI provides DNA testing services in the areas of paternity testing and family relationship testing. It also offers training on DNA testing as a way of contributing towards capacity building both locally and regionally.

The DNA tests can be both for legal or personal knowledge and the type of test chosen depends on what one intends to use the DNA test for. It is worth caution that any DNA testing done without a court order or consent is illegal, exposing one to a lawsuit.

When the original testing is out of reach price-wise to many Kenyans, the alternative is the home DNA testing kits, which individuals can easily and affordably determine the father of a child, without the need for more invasive and expensive methods and to provide peace of mind to parents and children, especially when the paternity of a child is in question.

Home DNA testing kits however carry their disadvantages, which include the accuracy of the results likely being not as high as those obtained through more elaborate DNA testing methods. Additionally, the privacy and security of the results may be compromised if the kits are not handled properly or if the samples are contaminated.

In 2023, DNA home test kits costing Ksh800 hit the Kenyan market sparking a debate on how accurate and safe they were. The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) even cautioned Kenyans against using them, stating that they had not been authorised to be sold in Kenya.

Despite convenience being the main advantage of such DNA testing kits where individuals can obtain samples with simple methods, experts argue that the vast amount of information in DNA cannot allow for collection without consent.

Furthermore, home DNA testing kits are not medical diagnostic tools, and the results should be treated as informative and not conclusive. Doctors thus advise that the results of home DNA testing should not be used to make legal or medical decisions or to self-diagnose any medical condition.

Image of a strand of DNA. /X