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Abstract:

Mental health is one of America’s most costly illnesses. The costs to the global economy have only risen in recent years. One main problem is that about half of patients with depression do not respond to the first medication prescribed. Pharmacogenomic testing (PGx) can help solve this issue by predicting whether a given drug will work as expected. Many studies looking at the cost-effectiveness of pharmacogenomics have been carried out, and it has been shown time after time that PGx can save costs for patients, insurers, and employers. DNALabs offers multiple genetics testing services, including a pharmacogenomic test called MatchMyMeds^TM.

What is Pharmacogenomics:

Simply stated, Pharmacogenomic testing — PGx — refers to a type of genetic test to predict how a patient will metabolize a given drug, and whether it will work as expected, or whether that patient is likely to experience an unwanted side effect, or Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR). Unlike some of the popular DNA testing services available on the market to either learn about your ancestry, or to find out if you have a chance of getting some sort of disease, PGx testing is a tool for personalized, precision medicine. PGx signals the end of “one-size-fits-all” and “trial-and-error” medicine. This breakthrough in personalized medicine is geared towards achieving the optimal treatment the first time which can potentially have a huge impact on you. While various factors play into the effects of medication such as gender, age, weight and diet, genetic factors predominate as the single biggest trigger for an adverse reaction. Genetic factors account for up to 95% of drug response variability and susceptibility to adverse drug reactions.

Mental Health:

Mental wellbeing is a key component of overall health, encompassing our emotional, psychological, and social states. The status of our mental wellbeing is affected by our life experiences, family history, socioeconomic condition, and biological factors such as brain chemistry and genetics. Many genes play important roles in influencing various aspects of mental wellness.

Depression and anxiety costs $1 trillion to the global economy annually and has become one of America’s most costly illnesses. More than half of patients with depression don’t respond to their first medication and 30% don’t respond to two or more medications. As the number of failed medication trials increases, the probability of the patient achieving response or remission decreases.

Mental health also has a major impact on employers. This can be broken down into absenteeism – when employees don’t show up to work, and presenteeism – when employees show up for work, but are not productive. Stress-related absenteeism costs employers $1685 per employee each year – a cost that has risen over the last few years. People diagnosed with depression will miss an average of 19 days of work per year. Presenteeism costs businesses 10 times more than absenteeism as employees are unproductive on the job for 57.5 days each year.

Cost Effectiveness of Pharmacogenomics:

Pharmacogenomics has been proven in many different studies to be cost saving. A study concerning depression treatment attributed $3962 per patient in annual savings because of preemptive PGx testing. Because so many people fail to react to the first medication prescribed, it has been proven that initiating PGx guided medication in the first place can result in better outcomes and reduced overall costs. There are many costs associated with a person who uses the trial-and-error method for medication. There is the obvious cost of the different medications, as well as the costs associated with visiting the doctor. But there are also indirect costs such as productivity loss at work, and the impact it can have on other aspects of your life due to the pain and time lost from trying different medications. One important factor in determining whether or not the test is cost saving is the price of the test. In a study looking at the use of PGx for major depression, the “break even” price where the cost of the test equates to the savings from the test over a one year time horizon has been shown to be $595. The test also becomes more cost effective over a longer time horizon. Preemptive PGx panel testing has also been proven to be cost effective in cardiovascular disease management.

DNALabs:

From a simple, non-invasive cheek swab, MatchMyMeds^TM can quickly look at your DNA to determine whether certain, commonly prescribed drugs will work, and at what dose. This information enables doctors to make the best prescribing choices for you thereby minimizing the likelihood of Adverse Drug Reactions and maximizing the likelihood of a successful outcome. The MatchMyMeds^TM report covers 100 drug compounds found in thousands of different products, including some of the most commonly prescribed drugs, and covers various therapeutic categories, including pain/migraine, anxiety, oncology, immunology, cardiovascular, and psychiatry, among others. Click HERE for a complete list of the drugs currently covered. MatchMyMeds^TM can be purchased online at www.dnalabs.ca for $275 USD/$349 CAD. At a price much lower than the cost-saving break-even price, and the fact that the test covers much more than just mental health, MatchMyMeds^TM can save you a lot more in the long run than these studies have already shown is possible.

DNALabs also offers another genetic test, LoveMyHealth^TM. LoveMyHealth^TM is a DNA-based nutrition/lifestyle test designed to empower you to improve your health and well-being by personalizing actionable nutrition, exercise and lifestyle recommendations tailored to your unique genetic makeup. Your report includes simple steps you can take to make informed lifestyle choices. Test categories include diet, food sensitivities, specific nutrient needs, physical fitness, mental well-being, detoxification, obesity risk, and hormonal health.

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