Pharmacogenetic Tests

What is pharmacogenetic testing?

Pharmacogenetics (also called pharmacogenomics) is the study of how your genes affect the way your body responds to certain medicines. Your genes are passed down from your parents. They carry information (called DNA) that determines many things about you, such as your height and eye color.

Some genes also affect how your body uses and breaks down medicines. Differences in these genes can be the reason why some people may benefit from a certain medicine while others may not benefit at all. Genes can also be the reason why some people have serious side effects from a medicine and others have none.

Pharmacogenetic testing provides information about your genes to help your health care provider choose the medicine and dosage that are the "best fit" for you. The tests use a sample of your saliva (spit), blood, or cells swabbed from your cheek.

Pharmacogenetic testing is a type of precision medicine. Precision medicine uses information about your genes, environment, and lifestyle to find out which approaches to disease treatment and prevention will work best for you.

Other names: pharmacogenomics, pharmacogenomic testing

Why do I need pharmacogenetic testing?

Your provider may order these tests before you start a certain medicine. You may also need a pharmacogenetic test if you are taking a medicine that's not working and/or causing serious side effects.

Pharmacogenetic tests are not available for all medicines. Examples of common medicines that have pharmacogenetic tests include:

• Abacavir, an HIV treatment

• Carbamazepine, an epilepsy treatment

• Tamoxifen, a breast cancer treatment

• Warfarin and Clopidogrel, blood thinners

• Optimizing pain management through genotype-guided approaches may provide more effective pain control including promoting nonopioid options for some patients, thus representing one additional important tool in combatting the opioid epidemic

CARDIOLOGY

PGx-guided dosing of Warfarin has proven cost effective and improve outcomes with patients with Atrial Fibrilation

MENTAL HEALTH

PGx-guided treatment helped patients experience greater improvement suffering from major depression

GASTROENTOLOGY

PAIN MANAGEMENT

PGx testing for specific variants can help reduce opioid addiction.

ONCHOLOGY

PGx-guided therapies improve safety outcomes and has proven to be cost effective.