Scientific evidence indicates that pharmacogenetics − the study of drug interactions with an individual's genetic makeup − may improve patient safety.
Pharmacogenetic testing for some medications adds genetic information to the usual considerations of patient age, weight, disease process, use of other medications, health behaviors and environment.
The additional information gained from pharmacogenetics can help physicians and nurse practitioners choose and dose medication that best meets the needs of the individual patient.
Benefits of Pharmacogenetics
Pharmacogenetics uses molecular testing to analyze certain genes. A pharmacogenetic test can predict how a patient will metabolize a drug, allowing the clinician to adjust dosages for individual patients to get maximum efficacy from a drug with minimum side effects.
Helping Physicians Prescribe the Best Dose of the Best Medications
Our goal is to provide prescribing clinicians with state-of-the-art information to improve the effectiveness and safety of the medications they prescribe for your child. We achieve this goal through a comprehensive approach:
- Rapid (two-day) pharmacogenetic testing
- Education
- Reports with dose recommendations, if applicable
- Reports with important drug-drug interactions that can alter metabolism
- Pharmacology consults as requested
Our service offers a number of unique features:
- Tests ordered by gene or gene panel
- Assistance with specimen transport (free within the Cincinnati metropolitan area)
- Results from blood and cytobrush specimens are faxed in two business days
- Genotype results stored in a safeguarded database that can be used for interpretation when your patient requires a different drug metabolized by the same enzyme
- Interpretation from internationally recognized experts in clinical pharmacology and molecular genetics
Test References
Contact the lab at labgeneticcounselor@cchmc.org or 513-636-4474 for a current list of test references.