Your genes tell your story. How tall you are and even how you look. They also play a key role in how your body responds to medicines.
The terms pharmacogenomics and pharmacogenetics are often used interchangeably to describe a field of research focused on how genes affect individual responses to medicines. Whether a medicine works well for you—or whether it causes serious side effects—depends, to a certain extent, on your genes.
Q: Why is a pharmacogenetic test done?
A: A pharmacogenetic test can be done before or after medicine has been prescribed. It can help predict how a patient will metabolize a drug, allowing the physician to adjust dosages to get maximum efficacy from a drug with minimum side effects.
Q: Are the results of pharmacogenetic tests confidential?
A: While pharmacogenetic tests are designed to help people, some fear that the results could be used against them, such as to discriminate against them in a job setting or to deny them health insurance coverage. A person’s genetic information is protected through the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which was passed by Congress in 1996. Many states also have laws in place that protect the privacy of health information, including genetic data.
Q: How will pharmacogenetics affect the quality of health care?
A: In the future, pharmacogenomics will increasingly enable doctors to prescribe the right dose of the right medicine the first time for everyone. This would mean that patients will receive medicines that are safer and more effective, leading to better health care overall.
Also, if scientists could identify the genetic basis for certain toxic side effects, drugs could be prescribed only to those who are not genetically at risk for these effects. This could maintain the availability of potentially lifesaving medications that might otherwise be taken off the market.
Q How do I get a pharmacogentic test?
A: On a doctors order. Once your doctor orders the test, a simple swab is taken from the inside of your mouth and sent to a laboratory. Results are sent back to your doctor to help identify the optimal dose and/or medicine for each patient.
*Source: National Institute of General Medicine Science
For more information on pharmacogenetic testing, contact:
PGx Medical
Individualized Care – Personalized Medicine
405-509-5112
info@pgxmed.com
www.pgxmed.com