DNA testing is the first step in the ultimate preventative healthcare – Talk with Dr. Jensen about your options! 602-888-1201
Desert Naturopathic Health can help you discover more about yourself. Learn about your carrier status for inherited conditions, health risks like cardiovascular disease and cancer, and how drugs can affect you. We can even help you make changes in your life so you can avoid disease.
How well do you absorb Vitamin B12? Should you take an extra B6 vitamin? Do you have an MTHFR mutation? These are questions that genetic testing can answer. Dr. Jason Jensen reviews all DNA testing with you when your results are in. Call us if you have questions. 602-888-1201.
The glory of genetic testing is that since your DNA never changes, you only have to get tested once.
Pathnostics-PGx Testing – Covered by Insurance
Have you ever had the anesthesia wear off too fast at the dentist?
Pharmacogenomic testing, also called DNA Drug Sensitivity Testing, is the testing of certain genes to determine how individuals react to specific medications. This greatly decreases the need for “trial and error” dosing and can reduce the risk of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) substantially.
Pharmacogenomic testing is a new tool in medicine. It’s just being introduced to many physicians, hospitals and clinics. Pharmacogenomics is a science that holds enormous promise, and will doubtless reduce medical costs and increase the effectiveness of many drugs in the future. Dr. Jason Jensen uses this testing in the office today.
This is important because Adverse Drug Events, (ADEs) are a long-standing and largely neglected major medical problem. These are not medical errors and occur within the FDA-approved dosage and labeling recommendations. Different people can have vastly different reactions to the same drug.
Incidence of adverse drug events (ADEs)
- ADEs are the third greatest killer in the US, with more than 100,000 deaths per year. Over 2 million serious adverse reactions occur per year requiring 120,000 hospitalizations costing Americans $3.5 billion per year according to the Journal of the American Medical Association report. (JAMA 279:1200 1998)
- 21.3% of the 548 most recently FDA approved medications were subsequently withdrawn from the market or given a black box warning. JAMA 287:2215 2002
- The GAO reports that 51% of new drugs have serious, undetected adverse effects at the time of approval.
Of the best selling prescription drugs, 148 can cause depression, 133 hallucinations or psychoses, 105 constipation, 76 dementia, 27 insomnia and 36 Parkinsonism. “Worst Pills Best Pills: A Consumer’s Guide to Avoiding Drug-Induced Death or Illness,” third edition, 1999.
Genes Tested
The effect genetic variations have on specific medications is well documented for some drugs. In general, drugs with a very narrow effective dosing range have been researched, while drugs with a wide effective range have not.
Pathnostics currently offers DNA Drug Sensitivity Testing that test CYP1A2, CYP2D6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, Factor II, Factor V Leiden, MTHFR and VKORC1. The downloadable drug list has many commonly prescribed drugs that are metabolized through these pathways in the Cytochrome P-450 system. The FDA has updated the label of more than 30 drugs to include pharmacogenomic information.
Do you need to get tested?
If you take two or more medications regularly or has had an adverse reaction that resulted in a doctor or emergency room visit, then they may benefit from Pathnostics-PGx.
Also, a combination of the following conditions indicates an increased risk of adverse reactions to medications. Pathnostics-PGx pharmacogenomic testing may help reduce the risk.
- Over 65 years of age
- Experiencing unwanted side effects from medication(s)
- Feels their medications aren’t working
Has one or more of the following medical conditions:
- acid reflux
- mental health condition
- arthritis
- cancer
- asthma/COPD
- thyroid disorder
- organ transplant
- diabetes
- osteoporosis
- blood pressure (high)
- cholesterol (high)
- migraines
- peptic ulcer
- depression
- prostate (enlarged)
- depression
- arthritis
- pregnancy
- post MI surgery
- immune deficiencies
Pathnostics-PGx Testing is covered by insurance
Medicare, Workers Comp and private insurance is now consistently reimbursing for Pathnostics-PGx pharmacogenomics testing in many diagnostic situations including adverse drug reactions or lack of response to medication, pain management, cancer management, and management of many co-morbid conditions.
