What is Pharmacogenomics?
Every living thing on this earth is made out of deoxyribonucleic acids, known as DNA.
Think of DNA as a set of biological instructions, known as genes, that determine what makes you, you. From your gender, eye color, hair color, etc., your DNA is composed of information that makes each and every person unique.
But did you know that your genes can also determine what kind of medication best fits you?
There are different kinds of medication out there that may treat the same thing. However, they may not work for you based on your genetic profile. Surprisingly, what may work for you may not work for someone else, and what may work for someone else can produce adverse side effects for another.
Depending on your medical situation, your genes contain valuable information that help determine and prescribe medication that will benefit you the most.
This leads to the concept of Pharmacogenomics.
What is Pharmacogenomics?
Pharmacogenomics studies the interactions between your genes and how you respond to medication.
Knowing your genome can help doctors prescribe the proper medication and dosage to ensure that the medication you are getting is appropriate and effective.
What’s the point of taking medication if it doesn’t work? Right?
Not knowing which medications are appropriate for you can lead to expensive and lengthy treatment plans. In other words, it becomes a guessing game composed of several trial-and-errors.
However, with pharmacogenomics, doctors can more easily prescribe medication that is not only effective but also specifically appropriate to you. This is all determined by knowing your genetic makeup and giving you a personal treatment plan that is unique.
Thus, the best way to find out which medications will work appropriately for you is by taking a Pharmacogenomic (PGx) Test.
What is a Pharmacogenomic (PGx) Test?
Getting a genetic test gives your doctor vital info to choose the right medication for you, ensuring it’s effective. It removes the uncertainty about which medications will or won’t work for you.
In other words, by getting tested, your treatment is more personalized.
The PGx test involves retrieving an appropriate DNA sample, which is then processed, sequenced, and analyzed to produce a report that provides information that can help a physician determine what medication they should be prescribing you.
Thus, you can provide a single DNA sample, and if any medication is needed for you in the future, the doctor can easily refer to your data and go from there to prescribe the necessary treatment.
The Process of Getting Tested
To get started, you’ll need to take a sample from your cheek using a swab or collect a bit of saliva (buccal sample). This sample is then sent to a facility (Admera Health), and they use a special method called DNA sequencing to analyze your model. Once that’s done, they interpret your DNA results and create a report for you.
Simple.
Ready to take control of your health with a personalized treatment plan? You can head over to Wellnite and fill out this form.
Wellnite’s Medicare/Medicaid Program
If you have either Medicare or Medicaid as your health insurance provider, you can use Wellnite’s Medicare/Medicaid Program.
Throughout this program, Wellnite is providing its services for free for all Medicaid and Medicare users for a total of 6 months.
In order to take advantage of this offer, follow the steps below.
STEP 1: Take a PGx test
STEP 2: Video consultation with a specialized mental health provider.
STEP 3: Treatment adherence as suggested by providing** (chat-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is also available).
This program is currently only limited to Medicaid and Medicare populations that are covered during the six months of the program. In order to retrieve this free service, all participants must comply with all three steps during the program’s period.
*The PGx test is fully covered by Medicaid & Medicare for patients under Medicaid and Medicare coverage.
**Please notice that if required, the medication itself is not included in the program. However, Medicaid co-pay is usually as low as $3 per medication.
