Do not alter the dosage amount or schedule of
any drug you are taking without first consulting your medical
provider or pharmacist.
How has DNA DNA Drug Sensitivity Testing™ been used up to
this point?
Why is this testing just now becoming available?
What is pharmacogenetics?
How are drugs processed by the body?
What are adverse drug reactions?
Why don't you test the CYP3A4 pathway if so many drugs are metabolized
through it?
How do I order DNA DNA Drug Sensitivity Testing™?
You can order testing directly if you have a physician prescription or your healthcare provider can request testing for you. We send a cheek swab collection kit with directions by mail. Use the return mailer to submit samples and receive results in ten business days or less. Faster testing is available for an additional charge. Call a DNA Testing Consultant at (800) 523-3080 for details or visit our page on
how to talk to your healthcare provider to download information.
Will DNA DNA Drug Sensitivity Testing™ be covered by my
medical insurance?
Insurance is now consistently reimbursing for pharmacogenetic 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. Genelex has submitted multiple claims with several carriers, almost all of which were paid at an acceptable rate. Please note that we have seen coverage only for relevant medications and conditions not as a general screening. Contact your insurance provider about coverage prior to ordering if this is a concern. Even if it is not covered by insurance, most patients think that the once-in- a-lifetime expense is well worth it when the benefits of testing are considered.
The CPT codes are as follows if you
would like to
confirm
eligibility in advance:
CYP2D6 CPT codes - 1 X 83891, 4 X 83892, 2 X 83901, 19 X 83914, 1 X 83909
CYP2C9 CPT codes - 1 X 83891, 1 X 83892, 1 X 83900, 1 x 83901, 3 X 83914, 1 X 83909
CYP2C19 CPT codes - 1 X 83891, 3 X 83892, 1 X 83900, 2 X 83901, 8 X 83914, 1 X 83909
CYP1A2 CPT codes - 1 X 83891, 2 X 83892, 2 X 83898, 2 X 83894
NAT2 CPT codes - 1 X 83891, 2 X 83892, 1 X 83900, 7 X 83914, 3 X 83901, 1 X 83909
DPD Enzyme CPT codes - 1 X 83891, 1 X 83892, 1 X 83898, 1 X 83894
UGT1A1 - 1 X 83891, 2 X 83892, 1 X 83898, 1 X 83894
How has DNA DNA Drug Sensitivity Testing™ been used up to
this point?
Pharmaceutical companies regularly use these tests in clinical
trials, to exclude people from the trials. Medical centers
around the country are also beginning to use these tests
on their own
patients to avoid adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and achieve
more accurate prescribing.
Why is this testing just now becoming available?
There are many reasons. Key elements of this test have recently
been developed. ADRs don't have an organized constituency
like most diseases do, no American Cancer Society or March
of Dimes.
Many doctors do not realize the extent of the problem and
the large pharmaceutical companies and insurers may have
a difficult
time becoming motivated to act because of the added initial
costs. Genelex has made this test available to the public
so people can benefit now from the recent advances in pharmacogenetics.
We also wish to recognize that more people want to take greater
responsibility for their own healthcare. We support that decision.
What is pharmacogenetics?
Pharmacogenetics is the study of how individual people respond
to medicines based on their genetic makeup. When you take a
drug or are exposed to an environmental toxin, enzymes in your
liver, intestines and other tissues go to work to breakdown
that drug so that it can be excreted. Your genes provide the
instructions for making these enzymes, several of which may
be involved in the breakdown and excretion of any particular
drug. Your specific genetic makeup determines how these enzymes
interact and whether they work faster or slower than average.
How are drugs processed by the body?
Drugs act on target sites in body tissues to cause a therapeutic
effect. They are removed from the body by being converted
into an inactive form. The P-450 family of drug metabolizing
enzymes
inactivates most prescription drugs. The most important and
most thoroughly studied of these enzymes are CYP2D6 and CYP2C9.
More than half of the population has at least one defect
in these enzymes that can greatly increase the risk of an
adverse
drug reaction.
What are adverse drug reactions?
Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) depend on the type of drug or
combination of drugs being taken. They have many causes and
are often not
well understood. Many ADRs occur because individual differences
in drug metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) and other parts of the
processing systems have not been taken into account when
the drug was approved or prescribed. Three-fourths of all
ADRs
are dose-dependent, with many occurring at standard manufacturer-recommended
doses. A 1998 medical report found adverse drug reactions
to be the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., at more
than
100,000 annually.
Why don't you test the CYP3A4 pathway if so many drugs are metabolized
through it?
Current studies show that although CYP3A4 varies genetically,
these genetic variations do not appear to have important functional
significance. Environmental factors appear to be far more important.
What genes are most useful to test?
For additional information on these and other prescription
drugs visit http://www.rxlist.com/top200.htm.
Thanks again for considering Genelex. We look forward to providing your healthcare providers with tools to improve the safety and effectiveness of your medications in the near future. If you have any questions, feel free to call 800-523-3080. You can also complete the request form, and Genelex will be happy
to mail information to your healthcare provider on your behalf.
