Pharmacogenomics is the study of how genes can affect the way different people respond to different medications. Depending on your genes, certain medications may be safer and more effective for you.
Pharmacogenomic testing can be done with a blood sample, but also with a simple saliva sample, making at-home testing easier.
The sample will be sent to a pharmacogenetic testing laboratory, and your DNA will be sequenced and analyzed to identify variations or changes in genes that show how a patient responds to medications.
Genetic tests are available for a wide variety of medications, including those that treat anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, and bipolar disorder. While pharmacogenetic tests can tell you how drugs are metabolized in your body, there are certain limitations. A test cannot tell you how multiple drugs will be metabolized, so you may need to try several to get an
accurate response. Since the field is still new, it’s important to keep in mind that the tests may not be 100% accurate (but they’re worth a try!).
How Do the Tests Work?
Pharmacogenomics tests include methods such as single gene testing for a
genetic variant, gene panel tests, and the search for small genomic variations. Searching for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is a common method for genomic variation, which occurs more often in trait carriers. The tests will predict an individual drug response in a person along with an estimate of the risk. That person’s genome sequence will help tailor a dose for a specific drug, especially medications for heart disease, pain, and psychiatric conditions.
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