Scientific Working Group on
DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM)
PUBLIC COMMENT PAGE
In accordance with the SWGDAM Bylaws (Section V.C.5), SWGDAM will make any new or revised guidance or standard document(s) available for public comment for a minimum of 30 days. Generally, SWGDAM attempts to review its guidance documents within 5 years of their issuance and is usually actively revising at least one of its guidance documents at any given time. SWGDAM strongly encourages the forensic DNA community or other interested group to comment on the SWGDAM documents currently in this stage of development. Upon receipt, these comments will be forwarded to the appropriate SWGDAM Committee for consideration and may be incorporated into the final document considered for approval by the SWGDAM Membership.
Alternately, SWGDAM may publish a response to a specific suggestion or recommendation on its FAQ Page for general information purposes. SWGDAM will make all reasonable efforts to advise the forensic DNA community of those documents currently available for public comment. SWGDAM strongly encourages all interested parties to regularly monitor SWGDAM.org for the guidance document(s) or standard document(s) currently available for public comment. Please use the contact portal below for providing comments on the SWGDAM document(s) available for public comment
The new SWGDAM Internal Validation of Real-Time PCR DNA Quantitation Systems Module
is now available for public comment.
This document contains minimum requirements and best practice guidelines to assist laboratories in designing internal validation experiments as required by the FBI’s Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories (Forensic QAS). A quantitation system is comprised of a DNA quantitation kit and a real-time thermal cycler. Commercially available quantitation kits generally include a DNA sample of known quantity to create a standard curve, an internal positive control, and primers specific for autosomal, Y-chromosome, and degradation targets. Internal validation shall be conducted using samples of varying quantity, quality, and biological material(s) encountered in forensic casework to assess the reliability and determine the potential limitations of the quantitation system. Laboratories may have validation experimental approaches that differ from those listed in this document; such approaches can be utilized if they generate enough empirical data to determine the capabilities and limitations of the system and support the laboratory’s standard operating procedures. This document will be available for public comment through Friday, July 10, 2026.
SWGDAM Internal Validation of Real-Time PCR DNA Quantitation Systems Module
Please use the SWGDAM Quantitation Module Public Comment Form below for capturing comments and submit it using the File Upload function of the Comment/Suggestion Portal below. To submit the SWGDAM Quantitation Module Public Comment Form, please mark the SWGDAM Document, Page#/Line#, Comment, and Suggested Revision/New Language fields as N/A, complete the Submitted By and Email fields, and upload the Excel sheet as an attachment into the File Upload field.
SWGDAM Quantitation Module Public Comment Form
Please note that the new SWGDAM Internal Validation of Real-Time DNA Quantitation Systems Module is intended to provide technology or methodology specific guidance. When published, this module will be a child document of the new parent document entitled SWGDAM Validation Guidelines for DNA Analysis Methods: Overview Document that contains general recommended elements for validation studies. This new Overview Document has completed the SWGDAM approval process, but it is being published together with select new technology-specific modules upon their being approved by SWGDAM. The new SWGDAM Validation Guidelines for DNA Analysis Methods: Overview Document was previously made available for public comment during November 2021. Public comments are not being solicited for the Overview Document and it is provided here for reference purposes only.
SWGDAM Validation Guidelines for DNA Analysis Methods: Overview Document