Is saliva as accurate as blood?

Answer:

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The DNA in our blood is the same as the DNA in our saliva. For convenience, the JScreen test is usually done on saliva, and is just as accurate as testing on DNA from blood. The JScreen test uses next generation sequencing (NGS) technology, ensuring very high carrier detection rates for most of the diseases on our panel.

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While some labs require a blood sample to do an additional enzyme test for Tay-Sachs disease, recent studies suggest that DNA testing through NGS of the Tay-Sachs gene has a higher carrier detection rate than enzyme testing for all ethnic groups. Blood enzyme testing is available to JScreen patients as needed.

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