Beware Genetic Snake Oil
So there's a clear upside to genetic testing.
I think genetics has a huge amount to offer in making really important real-time health-care decisions. I think increasingly we're going to see genetic testing as being really important in both prescribing decisions and in treatment decisions. For example, will you respond to chemotherapy or not? Will you keel over and die if I prescribe this antiviral versus that antiviral?
What are you hoping your paper will do?
Our hope is that our paper and other research will be a catalyst for policy change that is sorely needed. [Department of Health and Human Services] Secretary Mike Leavitt put together a personalized health-care initiative over a year ago, which had multiple components. One was ensuring the quality of genetic tests. We provide strong evidence for why he should enhance regulation for genetic tests. His time is waning. He has the opportunity for some leadership here in creating a good, nurturing, safe environment for the future of personalized medicine.
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Member Comments
Posted By: Genelex @ 04/04/2008 4:03:01 PM
Comment:
I just read your article and wanted to post Genelex???s response to the statement so you have access to information on both sides of this debate. First of all, Genelex???s website is prejudicially quoted out of context in this policy statement article as follows:
"Some Web sites make explicit claims about the utility of CYP450 testing for particular drugs, such as the claim by Genelex that pharmacogenetic testing is ???required to effectively prescribe Paxil???.
The actual statement is:
Paxil (paroxetine) is metabolized through CYP2D6. Pharmacogenetic testing of this pathway serves as an anchor for the intense personalization required to effectively prescribe Paxil and other antidepressant medicines. http://www.healthanddna.com/professional/paxil.html
In addition to quoting out of context, this papers points out the continuing problem in healthcare of putting patient information in silos. The fact is just three P450 enzymes ??? 2D6, 2C9, and 2C19 are responsible for the metabolism of over half of commonly prescribed medications and over half of the population has a variation in one of these key processing enzymes. This information can be used for a lifetime to help caregivers provide more effective and safe treatment regimens. Considering that adverse drug reactions currently kill twice as many as people as vehicle accidents and cost billions of healthcare dollars, a panel that costs less than installing an airbag will certainly prove to be cost-effective when taken in the context of overall medication management not one medication or class at a time.
Randomized trials are in progress that will add to our knowledge. In the meantime clinicians and patients who find this information useful should have access to it. Physicians don???t prescribe without knowing the patient???s age, sex, and medical history. In many instances CYP genetics are more important than all these other factors combined.
Genelex' full response is available at http://www.genelex.com/commonhtmls/AntidepressantsandScience.pdf
Posted By: pinkpanther87413 @ 04/03/2008 3:11:59 PM
Comment: I'm not an illegal citizin. i was made in America by the FDA. approved and all the bells and whistles, yup i'm a FDA approved human being. who looks just like you! oh i forgot i was raised to supply you with all my disposable body parts, as i'm iinterchangable and compatable to you, so yes, i die, if you need a heart cause mine is better than yours, but identicle, and as i'm FDA approved i waived my right to life, should you need my body parts!