The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) has announced an increase in the price of DNA testing kits for 2025.
In a statement on Wednesday, January 8, KEMRI announced that the price would increase by Ksh7,000 to retail at 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.
File image of someone collecting saliva for DNA testing using cheek swab
File
The laboratory offers services to both private clients and those referred by the courts, especially in family cases involving child support payments.
In April 2024, misleading information that the government was rolling out mandatory DNA testing for newborns at birth.
However, the Ministry of Health quickly debunked the rumour noting that the government had no plans to roll out such a policy.
Currently, DNA testing is only mandatory as part of crime investigations or in court-ordered paternity tests.
In 2023, DNA home test kits costing Ksh600 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.
“It has been brought to the attention of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) that unauthorised home DNA test kits are being marketed on digital platforms for retail in the Kenyan market,” read the statement in part.
“Please note that the PPB has not authorised any retailer to sell such kits and hereby appeals to the public to be on the lookout for retailers marketing these Kits.”
Feet of a newborn baby in a hospital.