What is Pharmacogenetic Testing?

Pharmacogenetics (PGx) is the effect that your genetics play in the reaction and breakdown of medications. Your genetic makeup, or genotype, is your inherited DNA code. It serves as the building block of your body. A person’s Genotype can affect responses to certain drugs. It can also influence negative side effects or adverse drug reactions. Using pharmacogenetics, we can narrow down which medications may be more or less likely to work better or be well tolerated and at what dose. This may reduce the trial, error, and frustration that often happens with mental health medications. Plus, your genes don’t change – so the results are valid for the rest of your life. Your results can be shared with other healthcare providers as well, as they do not pertain exclusively to psychiatric medications and can be used to guide medical decision-making for many different categories of medications.

Please check with your insurance if this test is covered, there is a $25 collection and processing fee.