We have a family member in the hospital. We will be having genetic testing done. $600-$1200 for the test may or may not be covered. The cost is less than our insurance burden from the hospitalization.
The first medication cost $860-$981 per month. It didn’t work … horrible side effects and has resulted in a 2nd hospitalization. The second medication they are considering costs $847-$995 per month according to goodrx.com .
As a pharmacist, I have studied pharmacogenetics extensively. My business has a collaboration with a lab who provides testing because it is so important in determining if a medication will work. Unfortunately, physicians in my area seem resistant to ordering these simple cheek swabs that can tell you if a patient’s genetic makeup can use a drug effectively.
Testing is easy to perform, and allows the prescriber to avoid the guessing game of “try this medication and come back in x# weeks to see if it’s working”.
To be able to narrow down and pinpoint which medication will or will not work in an individual is such an amazing scientific breakthrough! Genetic testing can decrease potential side effects, adverse drug reactions, and costs associated with trying several medications to see which one works.
Need help deciphering the results? Contact a pharmacist who specializes in this. If you don’t know one, please reach out synerxgy@gmail.com
A closer look at the study of how genes affect a person’s response to different medications.