by brant bullard | Sep 29, 2014 | Metabolic Validation Program, News
Physicians have long relied on a range of resources—including medical literature, their own research and experience, and pure gut feelings to treat patients. But that one-size-fits all approach doesn’t take into account a patients unique characteristics.
With personalized medicine available now, patients can receive individualized care according to their own genomic make-up.
Medicine as we know it revolves around “standards of care,” the best courses of treatment for the general population.
A growing number of healthcare clinicians are calling for a more personalized approach tailoring medicine to fit each individual; Right Drug, Right Dose, Right Person.
It is important to remember that genes can provide information that can lead us to make more informed decisions about our healthcare and medication therapy.
Education is the key. Consider patient’s with depression, 38 percent of whom do not respond to the first drug they are prescribed. With personalized medicine, or metabolic validation testing, healthcare professonals don’t have to prescribe medications on a “trial-and-error” basis. They will be provided a guide for dosing depending on that individuals genetic makeup.
“One day, patients will say, ‘I’m not an average patient. I am who I am. You need to understand who I am before you prescribe whatever treatment you plan to prescribe,'” says Edward Abrahams, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Personalized Medicine Coalition.
Personalized Medicine is changing the world of healthcare.
For more information on Metabolic Validation testing (Pharmacogenomics), contact:
PGx Medical
Individualized Care – Personalized Medicine
info@pgxmed.com
405-509-5112
by brant bullard | Aug 21, 2014 | Metabolic Validation Program, News
Genes play an important role in determining the right drug, right dose for the right person.
A treatment or dosage that works for one individual may not work, or may cause severe side effects for another. Pharmacogencomics provides healthcare professionals with a tool that will allow them to “personalize” medicine for each individual patient. Reducing hospital visits, adverse drug reactions and unnecessary medications.
At PGx Medical, our Metabolic Validation tests (pharmacogenomics) will help:
- Decrease adverse drug events: More than 770,000 injuries and deaths every year are caused by adverse drug events.
- Cost-Saving: Pharmacogenomics helps reduce the overall cost for experimenting with drugs “trial-and-error” and adverse drug events cost up to $35 billion annually in hospital admissions.
- Trial and Error: You can now have more accurate information on what an individual can metabolize so you can avoid the “trial-and-error” process that cost money and delays recovery. Pharmacogenomics will help patients/residents live a better quality of life.
If your pharmacy, clinic or home is interested in pharmacogenomic testing, contact us at: info@pgxmed.com or call 405-509-5112.
PGx Medical
Individualized Care / Personalized Medicine
www.pgxmed.com
by brant bullard | Aug 15, 2014 | News, Uncategorized
Recently while speaking and educating across the country, we came up with the Top 5 Questions asked about our PGx Metabolic Validation Program. We hope these will answer any question you might have regarding our tool.
Q: Who pays for the metabolic validation test?
PGx: Metabolic Validation (Pharmacogenomics) is available to patients/residents with any of the following coverages:
- Medicare B (100% covered) PGx Medical does not balane bill and there is no co-pay.
- Medicaid is available in select states (100% covered) PGx Medical does not balance bill and there is no co-pay in select states.
- Private Insurance. We believe that every patient should have access to the Metabolic Validation testing. So with the PGx Medical MVT, you are eligible for our Financial Assistance Program.
Q: How do I get tested?
PGx: A doctor must order the metabolic validation test. If your home, clinic or family physician isn’t already testing patients, just tell them you would like to request it and they can request test kits at info@pgxmed.com or call us 405-509-5112. We’ll be happy to coordinate everything for them.
Q: What is the science behind Metabolic Validation/Pharmacogenomics?
PGx: The body of scientific studies and research from the FDA, NIH, drug manufacturers and the molecular genetic community continues to highlight pharmacogenomic values for the use of a metabolic validation tool. Some of the key highlights of the clinical application of this science:
- Over 150 medications have FDA guidance surrounding pharmacogenomics and how medications should be used based on genetic variants. (1)
- FDA has given clear recommendations on how pharmacogenomic information can be incorporated into new medication labeling. (2)
- The National Institute of Health has a list of over 80 medications that they recommend changing the medication or the dosage based on pharmacogenomic information. (3)
Q: Do all patients metabolize mediciation the same way?
PGx: Over 50% of patients have gene variants that alter the rate at which they metabolize medications.
Q: Why am I just now hearing about Metabolic Validation?PGx: Metabolic Validation testing (pharmacogenomics) isn’t new. It has been around for decades. The only difference is medicare has made it affordable and now more available to you. Along with the age of technology which has brought awareness to the general public with unlimited information and education available via the internet so more people are hearing about and understanding the value of metabolic validation. PGx Medical has also made an aggressive effort to bring it to the forefront by partnering with state agencies and speaking/educating across the country regarding the benefits of this once in a lifetime test. Our tool helps healthcare professionals determine the right drug, right dose for the right patient making it easy to incorporate personalized medicine into their patient care.
For more information on the PGx Medical Metabolic Validation Test:
PGx Medical
405-509-5112
info@pgxmed.com
www.pgxmed.com
Source:
http://www.fda.gov/drugs/scienceresearch/researchareas/pharmacogenetics/ucm083378.htm (1)
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/UCM337169.pdf) (2)
http://www.pharmgkb.org/cpic/pairs (3)
by brant bullard | Aug 11, 2014 | Metabolic Validation Program
Personalized medicine will allow physicians to deliver health care based on a person’s genotype.
An individual’s genetics can suggest optimal dosing levels as well as cause some medications to be more or less effective. In some cases it may also cause adverse drug reactions leading to personal harm.
Metabolic Validation testing helps in determining which medications are optimal for a person based on his or her genetics.
With a simple buccal swab, healthcare professionals will receive a validation report to help guide medication treatment based on that person’s individual genetics.
Right Drug, Right Dose, Right Person
For more information:
PGx Medical
Individulaized Care – Personalized Medicine
info@pgxmed.com
405-509-5112
by brant bullard | Aug 1, 2014 | Metabolic Validation Program
Recently PGx Medical surveyed pharmacists across the country regarding Metabolic Validation. Below are a few responses.
93% of pharmacists said they think it is important to alert Medical Directors and DONs to residents that are currently on medication that have a BLACK BOX WARNING (Plavix, Codeine, Psych, Anti Depressants, etc) and that Metabolic Validation (pharmacogenomics) should be a part of a Pharmacy Consultant role.
An alarming 85.71% said their facility has never implemented a Metabolic Validation program for medication reduction or appropriate medication diagnosis.
42.86% pharmacists surveyed said 80% of the recommended med changes from Pharmacy Consultants are agreed to or implemented by the Medical Directors on average nationwide. 57.14% responded 50% or less med changes were agreed or implemented.
When asked the question: What percentage of residents in LTC facilities would you estimate might be currently taking meds, or enter the facility as a new resident on meds that they are not metabolizing properly, or could be eliminated without significant changes to their quality of life?40% of Pharmacists said 30% and higher.
67% agree that the Pharmacy Consultant should have the most influence in determining medicine regiment changes and appropriate med reductions for existing LTC facility residents.
PGx Medical would like to thank all the Pharmacists who took time to answer our survey. Your input is vital to what we do and we appreciate your feedback.
At PGx Medical we take our job very seriously. Our role as consultants is to help the healthcare community determine the right drug, right dose, for the right person. Through our unique tool “Metabolic Validation Testing” we strive to make it easy for healthcare professionals to incorporate personalized medicine into their patient care.
- Reduce side effects
- Increase clinical response
- Pinpoint appropriate medications for specific diagnosis
For more information on Metabolic Validation Testing and how you can incorporate it into your home, pharmacy or clinic, call 405-509-5112 or email: info@pgxmed.com. Our PGx Medical Team will be happy to assist you.
The PGx Medical Metabolic Validation program is available at no cost to the facility or residents with Medicare Part B and Medicaid (in select states).
PGx Medical
Individualized Care, Personalized Medicine
405-509-5112
Info@pgxmed.com
