Reliability depends on two factors: DNA analysis and the interpretation of the results.
- DNA analysis. Thermo Fisher Scientific's genotyping chips have a reproducibility rate of over 99%. They include repeated markers that serve as internal controls, and every sample must meet minimum thresholds for DNA quantity and reading quality. If these thresholds are not met, we do not issue results.
- Interpretation. We only include genetic variants supported by scientific publications, and our team of geneticists reviews the information in each report. The technical report for each health and trait result includes the relevant variant and scientific references.
Even so, no technique is infallible: the test analyses specific genetic variants, not the entire genome, and the accuracy of breed analysis depends on how well each breed is represented in the reference populations. Therefore, your vet should assess any relevant health result, which must be confirmed by an independent test before making decisions. We explain this in more detail in Can the results be incorrect?.