From the October 2016 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
Physicians and medical practices should look for labs that rely on medical research, quality and expedient testing that goes beyond current standards of clinical toxicology, providing the highest toxicology and clinical testing in the industry, including drug testing of urine and oral fluids, and pharmacogenetics for personalized prescribing.
The benefits of pharmacogenomics
Pharmacogenomics testing is used to identify how genes affect a patient’s response to medication. Genomic differences influence the efficacy of medication and can be the source of serious drug side effects and increase the risk of drug-to-drug interactions. Pharmacogenetic testing is the alternative to one-size-fits-all drug prescribing, which can lead to potentially serious side effects, treatment failure and poor patient compliance.
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Pharmacogenetic testing can also indicate which patients will be likely to experience adverse events with particular drugs, and is the cornerstone of tailoring health care to each person’s unique genetic makeup. For pain physicians, pharmacogenetic test results can assist in demonstrating that a particular patient requires a higher medication dose to experience pain relief. For example, typical doses may not control pain for high metabolizers, who run the risk of being labeled abusers. The goal is to help physicians select the most optimal treatment regimen for each particular patient just by doing a simple buccal swab. Personalized pain management determines the most effective and individualized maximum desirable analgesic relief and minimal undesirable adverse effects. It’s about pinpointing the right drug, at the right dose, for the right patient.
Some of the country’s top small labs are at the forefront of innovation for toxicology testing and implementing more effective outreach, engagement, treatment and coordination with the health and mental health systems and social supports. Accessible, reliable and rapid testing enables doctors, caregivers and patients to get the information necessary to achieve the highest quality care and outcomes.
About the author: Leon Reyfman, M.D., FIPP, RpH, and CEO of Advanced Clinical Laboratory Solutions is board certified in anesthesiology and pain management. He serves as director of interventional pain medicine at Long Island College Hospital and is assistant clinical professor of anesthesiology at SUNY Downstate Medical School.Back to HCB News
