Genelex has offered pharmacogenetic testing since 2000. Although I can provide you with a long list of patients that cannot thank us enough for giving them information that enabled their healthcare providers to find safer and more efficacious drug regimens for them; I have not received a single complaint about the testing. What typically happens is that a patient is frustrated that their own physician doesn’t know how to utilize the results even though we supply extensive interpretive tools so we refer them to a clinician that can. There are few cities in which we can refer patients to a physical location to see a clinician that can help them with the results, but thankfully we have a few willing to consult by phone. Genelex would be more than happy to refer patients to trained clinicians in their area that can help them, but how do you find them? Many physicians have limited knowledge of drug metabolism and pharmacogenetics, and are too pressed for time to understand it during a patient visit.

Additionally, the patient needs to be proactively involved for the full benefits of pharmacogenetic testing to be realized. For instance, a patient taking tamoxifen requires Cytochrome 2D6 to convert tamoxifen to endoxifen, the active metabolite that prevents cancer recurrence. Even if a patient is a CYP2D6 normal metabolizer, she still needs to avoid CYP2D6 inhibitors. A clinician unfamiliar with metabolism may mistakenly prescribe one like Paxil, and an unempowered patient may not realize that the goldenseal she purchased at the store will stop her tamoxifen from working.
Empowered patients take the time to learn what their results mean. Until there are more clinicians that do the same, consumers will continue to drive the adoption of personalized medicine.