Article on Genetic psychopharmacology

11 February 2019

Genetic psychopharmacology is an incredible break through in the practice of psychiatry.

Up until now, psychiatrist would prescribe medications following an algorithm dictated by the good medical practice guide. Patients will responde to any given treatment in 60 % of cases. There is a robust group of patient that, after six weeks of treatment and a four week phase during which we increase the dose to a maximum, will not responde and will find themselves having to try an other psychiatric medication.

Also side effects can be so uncomfortable that patients end up giving up on medication even if they have responded to it and they are symptom free.

Psychogenetics is the science that studies the genetic factors that influence the response to psychiatric medication. Many of the new tests now available only focus on the genetic response at the liver level but ours focuses on brain level providing more accurate genetic information, hence being more precise with regards to its predictions.Psychogenetics allows us to personalised psychiatric treatment guiding providers in the process of selecting the right medication for each individual.

The test can be done just by spitting on a cup or through a blood test. It takes 10 working days to get the results ( And we can’t rush it).

When we get the results, we know precisely what psychiatric medications will work for you both with regards to tolerance ( no side effects) and efficacy ( you improve on it). The tests gives us information with regards to drug to drug interactions and the result is life long. The part of the test regarding liver metabolism will help your doctors choose other non psychiatric medicines as well.

There are over 20 different antidepressants in the market, it is more efficient to pick the one we know works for you than to go about it blindly. In the long run it saves money,time and suffering.
One of these tests most important draw backs is the financial aspect of it.It is a costly exam. Also in 10% of cases the results may not be completely accurate.

Genetic testing to find out what psychiatric medication will work for you is the way to go and in the future will become standard practice.