Pharmacogenomic testing may sound complicated, but the process is actually very simple. This type of testing is typically recommended if you have been experiencing bad side effects with a medication or if it doesn’t seem to be working despite having been on it for some time. Pharmacogenetic testing provides clinicians with an important diagnostic tool that can help them make more precise decisions about patients’ medications. The implementation of pharmacogenetic testing in clinical practice may have the potential to save money, time, and most important of all, undesirable side effects. Read on to find out what it’s all about!
Understanding Pharmacogenomic Testing
To put it simply, pharmacogenomic testing is about finding out how your body will respond to specific medications. With this knowledge, a medical professional can then determine how safe and effective a particular drug will be for you. Precision medicine is the way healthcare practitioners can more precisely evaluate their patients. This means that pharmacogenetic testing plays a critical role in diagnostics and can allow for the personalization of your treatment plans.
Our bodies react differently to various types of medications, and this is in part influenced by our genes. If you have ever wondered why some people have adverse reactions to a drug that seems to work perfectly well in others, the answer would lie in each of our unique genetic profiles. Pharmacogenetic testing allows doctors to determine the right medication and correct dosage in optimizing your treatment plan based on your genetics.
What Kind of Drugs Can Pharmacogenomic Testing Work for?
Currently, pharmacogenomic testing is available for a wide range of medications.
These include:
- Antidepressants
- ADHD / ADD
- Pain Management
- Antipsychotics
- Opioid withdrawal
- Blood thinners such as Warfarin
- Medications for treating high cholesterol
- Gastrointestinal medications
- Diabetes medications
- Rheumatology
- Gynecology
- Dementia
Getting Pharmacogenomic Testing
It’s easier than ever when it comes to pharmacogenomic testing. ClarityX provides convenient at-home testing options. Once you receive your ClarityX test kit, follow the instructions to perform a simple cheek swab, and send the sample back to us using the prepaid envelope. The sample will be processed in the lab and the results will be posted in your patient portal within 7 – 10 days.
Interpreting the Results
If you are already on the medications you are being tested for, the results can help your doctor figure out the right dose and or adjust your current dosage accordingly. In the event that you have yet to start treatment, the results can tell your doctor which medications will work best for you and avoid medications that are not compatible based on your genetic profile, skipping the trial and error process entirely.
One of the advantages of pharmacogenetic testing is that the test does not need to be repeated for the specific genes that have been tested, as the results can be re-used for changes in medication in the future. Therefore, once patients undergo pharmacogenetic testing, doctors can have access to a lifetime of actionable information about medication selection for them.
Choose ClarityX for the Pharmacogenomic Testing that is right for you
We all know that different people react differently to medications. ClarityX pharmacogenomic testing has two testing options. Our Mindwell Test which focuses on over 130 mental health medications, or take it one step further with our Max Rx Test. This option will test for over 265 medications including cardiovascular, diabetes, pain management, sleep disorders, and more!
