DEAR DR. GOTT: With no access to a suspected birth father for DNA testing, how can it be proved who someone’s father is? Testing with siblings is not an option. If a person has access to a suspected birth father’s blood relatives, could a test be conducted with them to prove paternity? If so, what is the test called? Which relatives would be the best to test? Would we need a doctor’s order? How much would the test cost? Is there a special facility other than a hospital that could perform the test? Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

DEAR READER: Paternity, to the best of my knowledge, is best proven with the father’s DNA; however, there is a test known as the grandparentage test that can prove whether the individual is related to the suspected birth father’s family. [Read more...]