Home DNA Storage for Those "Hard-to-Imagine Emergencies"

DNA Direct, a privately-held company located in San Francisco, is offering a way for you to save and store your DNA at home for any possible emergencies. You know, paternity tests and the like.

Seriously, there could be a need for things like (sad to say) ID-ing a body, possible genetic testing for hereditary diseases, genealogy, that sort of thing. Here's what you get for a mere $175 for the DNA Archive kit, from their website:

• state-of-the-art, SampleMatrix™ technology
• 3 vials of DNA per kit, for storage in separate locations ^*
  
• safe, non-invasive collection swab **

* They give me vials of DNA! Whose? Someone needs to rework their text, ahem.
** Don't most people have these lying around?

Here's how it works. You collect a sample. You mail it back to DNA Direct. They send you back three tins (according to them, "attractive, UV-resistant packaging") with one vial of DNA in each tin.

DNA Direct says you should store the samples at room temperature and in dry conditions. They also say their method allows for indefinite storage. 'Course, I wonder what happens if you have a huge heat wave, no A/C, etc. etc.

Also, for legal issues (inheritance, paternity), there's the old "chain-of-custody" issue that we see on C.S.I., which would likely pose a problem.

Finally, clearly the best way to do this would be to simply do the DNA analysis and store that (meaning on paper, database, in email, etc. etc.) rather than a sample that would degrade if things go wrong. However, of course, as we know, that costs tons more , but maybe someday, prices will be in this range.