Pharmacogenomics (PGx)
Precision medicine that uses your DNA to predict how you will respond to medications. By understanding your "metabolic type," doctors can select the right drug and dose for you from day one.
Key facts at a glance
Why one size does not fit all in medicine.
Genetic Variability
Over 95% of people carry at least one genetic variant that affects how they process common medications.
>95%
Adverse Reactions
PGx-guided prescribing can significantly reduce the risk of serious drug side effects and toxicity.
Reduced
Trial & Error
Helps skip the 'try it and see' phase, especially for antidepressants and mental health medications.
Avoided
Utility
Your genes don't change. A single test remains useful for decades whenever new prescriptions are considered.
Lifetime
Who this is for
- Anyone starting a new medication, particularly for mental health (SSRIs), pain (opioids), or heart health.
- People who have had bad reactions or "no effect" from medicines in the past.
- Healthy individuals wanting this data "on file" for future emergencies.
What it covers
- Metabolizers: Classifies you as a Poor, Intermediate, Normal, Rapid, or Ultrarapid metabolizer for specific liver enzymes (CYP450).
- Drug Classes: Antidepressants, statins, blood thinners (clopidogrel), painkillers (codeine/tramadol), and acid reflux meds.
The Science: Your Liver Engines
Your liver uses specific enzymes (like CYP2D6 or CYP2C19) to break down drugs.
- Poor Metabolizers: The enzyme works slowly. Drugs can build up to toxic levels, causing severe side effects.
- Ultrarapid Metabolizers: The enzyme works too fast. The drug is washed out before it can work, or (in the case of pro-drugs like codeine) converted into its active form too quickly, risking overdose.
Privacy & Ethics
- Clinical Focus: This is a medical test, not a recreational ancestry test. It looks strictly at genes involved in drug processing.
- Data Security: Results are handled with strict medical confidentiality (HIPAA/Privacy Act standards).
- No 'Surprise' Relatives: It does not link you to family trees or reveal non-paternity events.
References
Clinical guidelines.
- Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) Guidelines — CPIC (2024)View source — The global gold standard for gene-drug dosing pairs
- Table of Pharmacogenomic Biomarkers in Drug Labeling — FDA (2024)
- Van Driest SL, et al.. Clinically actionable genotypes among 10,000 patients with preemptive pharmacogenomic testing — Clin Pharmacol Ther (2014)
Content is educational and not medical advice. For personal recommendations, consult your clinician.