According to recent research conducted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, pharmacogenomic testing may assist doctors in avoiding prescription antidepressants that can have unfavorable side effects. Pharmacogenomics examines how genes influence how the body reacts to drugs.
In addition, the patients who received genetic testing had better results than individuals receiving standard care, according to the study.
The research was directed by Dr. David Oslin, director of the VA’s VISN 4 Mental Illness, Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC). He believes the findings will persuade doctors to explore utilizing pharmacogenomic testing, with patient permission, to help drive treatment decisions.
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“From a VA policy perspective, I don’t think that we would say the study is robust enough that we recommend testing everybody,” says Oslin, who is also a psychiatrist at the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center in Philadelphia. “The results were not a slam dunk, and in fact, an important outcome of the study is that only about 15% to 20% of the patients had genes that would significantly interfere with the prescribed medication. But I think the results favoring a positive effect on treatment, although small, will encourage providers to test patients and get this genetic information. Future research should explore if there are subgroups of patients who would benefit more from testing.”
