DNA evidence can be fabricated, scientists say

Undermining what has long been considered as irrefutable proof in investigation of criminal cases, scientists announce that DNA evidence found at crime scenes can "easily" be fabricated.


A scientific company specialized in forensic DNA analysis revealed that while DNA fingerprinting is considered one of the leading forensic tools in dealing with criminal cases, DNA evidence can easily be falsified and planted at crime scenes prior to collection by law enforcement officers.

According to the Tel Aviv-based life science company, Nucleix, a sample of DNA matching any profile can be constructed using basic equipment and access to DNA or a DNA profile in a database without obtaining any tissue from that person.

"You can just engineer a crime scene," said Dan Frumkin, lead author of the new study conducted by Nucleix and published by the journal Forensic Science International: Genetics. "Any biology undergraduate could perform this."

Andrew Cohen, a legal analyst at CBS News, said "This is potentially terrible news for prosecutors and police and the military and all sorts of industries that use DNA testing to confirm or find information."

Meanwhile, the company has moved to address the need to safeguard the accuracy and credibility of DNA samples through development of a test for distinguishing real DNA samples from fake ones.

The company hopes to sell the "DNA authentication" assay to forensics laboratories.

DNA, or Deoxyribonucleic Acid, is the material that makes up the genetic code of most organisms and no two individuals have the same DNA blueprint.