GENEALOGY-DNA-L Archives

Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2001-01 > 0979598218


From: Alan Savin <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] Reporting of results
Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 22:36:58 +0000
References: <200101042100.f04L0Tq08534@lists5.rootsweb.com>
In-Reply-To: <5.0.2.1.0.20010108215750.027e3ec0@firstnethou.com>


Bennett recently wrote:

>Our studies reporting of the allele results is somewhat non--standard. In
>fact there is no standard for Y chromosome testing, which I expect is some
>years away. Let me explain it this way:
>
>On the female side, a Standard was set about 20 years ago. It is variously
>known as either the Anderson Sequence, or more commonly know as the
>Cambridge Reference Sequence. That standard is tested by people all
>over, and used for crime labs, genealogy, medical testing, etc.
>
>There is no standard in testing the Y chromosome, the research is just too
>new, and scientists are testing today the very locations on the Y
>chromosomes that will produce the Cambridge Standard of the future.

Yes most of us do know all of this, but this is no reason to encode your
results. Why not be honest and admit that the prime reason you have done
this is to commercially exploit the situation.


>do you want to have a certificate that reads,
>and/or talk to potential relatives by using a string of 1 digit or 2 digit
>numbers. 4, 7, 5, 8, 5 or 12, 21, 12, 16, 12. That's about as non
>standard as we are.

The above is the whole point! We want to be able to make comparisons and
therefore want a common method of reporting results

>we will continue to offer the tightest commercially
>available Y Chromosome test on the market and the genealogical comparison
>that our test offers.

Whilst at one time you did have a lead in this field, several other labs
now have 15 or more markers available and it only a matter of time before
one of them has enough for a standard, publishes it and offers it
commercially at a cheaper price. Don't be surprised if this is only two
years away.

Alan Savin





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