by brant bullard | Nov 1, 2015 | News
In light of the tragedies this past year around the country, mental illness is a hot topic.
According the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the most recent data shows there have been 39,518 suicides reported making suicide the 10th leading cause of death for Americans. In 2011, someone died by suicide every 13.3 minutes. These statistics are alarming.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness states one in four adults – approximately 61.5 million Americans experience mental illness in a given year. One in 17, approximately 13.6 million live with a serious mental illness sucha as schizophrenia, major depression or bipolar disease.
Serious mental illness costs America $193.2 billion in lost earning per year. And mood disorders such as depression are the third most common cause of hospitalization in the U.S. for both youth and adults ages 18-44.
According to the Washington Post, the mental health-care system in the United States is a multibillion-dollar industry that is still not big enough to serve all those who need it. Costs are a big barrier to treatments — but so are attitudes about mental health. New laws might change access to mental health, although significant barriers still remain. Here’s a look at what we invest in the mental health-care system, what that buys us and where gaps in coverage remain.
The United States spends $113 billion on mental health treatment. That works out to about 5.6 percent of the national healthcare spending, according to a 2011 paper in Journal Health Affairs. And those mental health dollars mostly go toward prescription drugs and outpatient treatment, according to Kaiser Family Foundation.
But how do we know if the medications we are giving mental health patients are even working?
Studies show that over 50% of patients have a variant gene that alters the rate of which they metabolize medications.
So what does this mean for mental illness? How do we know if the medications we are prescribing are even metabolizing?
Predicting patient response
Pharmacogenomics is now being used to help identify genes to help physicians improve the selection of medications for patients with depression and other psychiatric disorders. The test is a simple buccal swab of the cheek that is sent to a laboratory to determine how patients will respond to medications. These tests are designed to aid healthcare professionals when treating patients and eliminate the “trial & error” process which may take too long when dealing with mental illness.
Pharmacogenomics is a way to personalize medicine for each individual. It will help identify patients who might experience adverse effects from antidepressants or antipsychotic medications and help improve adherence.
At PGx Medical we work with hundreds of homes, clinics and pharmacies across the country educating and consulting with healthcare professionals regarding our Metabolic Validation Program. Our consultants work alongside healthcare professionals to help them understand test results and implement them into their day to day patient care.
For more information on how you can implement the PGx Medical Metabolic Validation Program into your healthcare setting, contact:
PGx Medical
Individualized Care – Personalized Mediciane
info@pgxmed.com
405-509-5112
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by brant bullard | Oct 7, 2015 | News
PGx Medical
Metabolic Validation Program
“Pharmacogenetics (PGx), the study of variations of DNA and RNA characteristics as related to drug response, is one of the most exciting areas of personalized medicine today. The field arises from the convergence of advances in pharmacology (the science of drugs) and genomics (the study of genes and their functions).
Patients typically have variability in response to many drugs that are currently available. It can be difficult to predict who will benefit from a medication, who will not respond at all, and who will experience adverse effects. PGx seeks to understand how differences in genes and their expressions affect the body’s response to medications.
More specifically, PGx uses information (such as DNA sequence, gene expression, and copy number) for purposes of explaining inter individual differences in drug metabolism (pharmacokinetics) and physiological drug response (pharmacodynamics), identifying responders and non responders to a drug, and predicting the efficacy and/or toxicity of a drug.” — Margaret A. Hamburg M.D. Commissioner of FDA
For more information on PGx testing, contact:
PGx Medical
Individualized Care – Personalized Medicine
info@pgxmed.com
405-509-5112
www.pgxmed.com
by brant bullard | Oct 7, 2015 | Metabolic Validation Program
Pharmacogenomic testing isn’t new, but reimbursements have increased the number of patients being tested.
Who pays for the cost of a pharmacogenetic test?
Pharmacogenomic testing has been around for decades, but up until a few years ago, most people couldn’t afford it. Now CMS (The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) reimburses 100% for Medicare B patients and in select states, 100% for Medicaid patients. Private insurers cover testing based upon medical necessity. There is no cost to physicians, LTC facilities, pharmacies, consultants, or clinics.
Who should receive pharmacogenetic testing?
Pharmacogenetic testing should only be performed based upon medical necessity. Medical necessity is determined by the physician.
The following situations may qualify as medical necessity:
- Patients taking a large number of medications with the potential for serious adverse effects.
- Patients taking medications with a high risk of drug interactions.
- When patients do not respond to drug treatment and options are limited.
- Patients with an unexpected pattern of side effects to medications.
If you are interested in being tested, or you are a healthcare professional and would like to incorporate this program into your day-to-day patient care, contact:
PGx Medical
Individualized Care – Personalized Medicine
info@pgxmed.com
405-509-5112
www.pgsmed.com
by brant bullard | Aug 31, 2015 | Metabolic Validation Program
PGx Medical analyzes clinically relevant genetic variants for 19 genes and receptor sites related to medication reponse.
The PGx Medical program, Metabolic Validation, via pharmacogenetic testing is a non-invasive buccal swab of the cheek that helps healthcare professionals customize prescribing decisions.
The test results are ready to view 48 hours from the date our lab receives the sample allowing clinicians to make proper prescribing decisions quickly and accurately for each individual patient.
Individual patient response to medications is influenced by genetic variation in the enzymes responsible for drug metabolism as well as targeted receptors and transporters. Variations in metabolism can cause life-threatening toxicity in one patient and reduce drug effectiveness in another.
Prescribing the right drug, and the right dose, for the right person. Individualized care tailored to fit each person moving beyond the trial and error process.
While the science behind each test is complex, the process for providing personalized medicine to each patient is designed to be simple.
For more information on identifying the best medications for your patients, contact:
PGx Medical
Individualized Care – Personalized Medicine
www.pgxmed.com
info@pgxmed.com
405-509-5112
by brant bullard | Dec 8, 2014 | Testimonials
PGx Medical loves to hear success stories and how our metabolic valdiation program, via pharmacogenomic testing helped your patient. Below is a story from one of our partners, Parks Edge Nursing Center.
“As a result of the PGx Medical Metabolic Validation program, we were able to change the quality of life for one of our residents. This resident would wander and yell and every attempt to console her would fail. After testing, we found out she was on the wrong antidepressant and the wrong anti-psychotic. The physician changed her depressant and stopped the anti-psychotic. With a change in a few medications, she is happier and in less distress. We are proud of the change she has made. She no longer cries and yells for “Momma”. She has also stopped wandering looking for “Momma”. She is much happier!” ~Tonya, DON~
If you have a story you would like to share, or you would like to schedule testing at your clinic or LTC facility, you can contact us at:
PGx Medical
Individualized Care – Personalized Medicine
info@pgxmed.com
405-509-5112
www.pgxmed.com
