DNA Stat

Pharmacogenomics Knowledge Base, or PharmGKB is a resource for clinicians and researchers about the effects of genetic variations on certain drug responses. It is the basis for DNA Stat’s entire mission, to help people improve their lives and health via pharmacogenetics. Through genetic tests such as Clopidogrel genetic testing and Coumadin genetic testing, the people who use these drugs will be more fully aware of how their body will be impacted by these and other medications. With one million emergency room visits each year in the United States due to adverse drug reactions, it’s a great idea to implement this type of genetic testing to avoid becoming just another statistic.

DNA Stat is the leader in pharmacogenomic testing and personalized care services. Located in Addison, Texas, DNA Stat caters to patients all over the United States as well as primary care physicians and insurance companies. They test for nine different enzymes including cyp3a4/3a5 testing that can be used to help doctors make better medication and treatment decisions for the pain management of their patients

In addition to the cyp3a4/3a5 testing, we also provide genetic tests for other enzymes as well including CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2C9 w/VKORC1, MTHFR, FACTOR 2 and FACTOR 5. The range of enzymes that they test for are able to provide doctors with accurate treatment and medication dosages for patients suffering from breast and colon cancer, HIV, thrombosis, various cardiovascular risks and more. It is expected that the field of pharmacogenomic testing will also eventually encompass the entire scope of oncology, mental illnesses such as depression, asthma, pre-natal testing and more.

The pharmacogenomics testing process is relatively simple. Because everyone responds differently (even slightly) to medications, pharmacogenomics companies test to see how the patient metabolizes different medications. Starting the process, the patient must get a Buccal swab of their cheek from their doctor’s office or local clinic. From there, the sample is sent to one of DNA Stat’s partnering labs for testing. Once completed, the results are put on an individualized patient report called a PharmD Report. The patient’s doctor is given access to this report, and based on the findings may adjust medications.

Pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine is a new branch of medicine that is taking the medical industry by storm. Leading with a “one size does not fit all” concept, this new field of medicine acknowledges the fact that medications do not work the same way for every individual. In the past, it was generally accepted that medications were disease-centric, instead of individual-centric - that to help cure or maintain a certain illness, specific prescriptions were used. Although this is still mainly true, now we are realizing that genetic testing for medication can vastly improve people’s odds when it comes to recovering and maintaining their condition.

At DNA Stat, they take pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine very seriously and are proud to be at the forefront of this blazing hot new field of medicine. The best part is that being able to take part in genetic testing for medication is as easy as swallowing a pill, because all that’s required is a visit to the doctor’s office or clinic to get a swab of the cheek. Once the person’s genetic material has been analyzed, their doctor will receive a Pharm D Report, enabling them to prescribe medications and treatments that best suit their genetic makeup.

At DNA Stat, they are proud to be at the forefront of pharmacogenomics, a new field of medicine that deals with genetic DNA testing. Their facility is providing patients and their doctors with invaluable information about their health, gleaned from genetic testing for drug metabolism. A relatively youthful branch of medicine, genetic testing for drug metabolism is to people in the 21st century, quite possibly what the discovery of Penicillin was to people of the 20th century. Patients interested in taking advantage of genetic testing for drug metabolism need only obtain a simple genetic DNA test from their local clinic or health care provider.

DNA Stat is the number one facility in the country for pharmacogenomic testing. Pharmacogenomics is a blend of pharmaceuticals and the study of genetics. Ultimately, what we do here at DNA Stat is extensive enzyme testing to be able to make highly accurate suggestions to doctors as to what dosage, medications and treatments they should be prescribing to their patients. By testing a drug metabolize enzyme, we can make precise predictions about the patient’s ability to successfully break down certain medications with a therapeutic response. This type of enzyme testing greatly reduces the number of trips to the hospital due to inaccurate dosing and prescribing the wrong medication.

In the past, pain management has involved a general blanket of options meant to cover every and any individual in their pursuit of pain relief. With the advent of genotyping for pain, this pursuit for pain relief has taken on a new meaning as well as changing the many options available. Pain management and genetics means combining an individual’s genetic blueprint with the best possible pain medications, treatments and dosages that their body will handle flawlessly.

Pain management and pharmacogenomics is about putting patients and their doctors in charge of their own medication destiny. By genotyping for pain, doctors can easily guide the treatment strategy for the patients that are being considered or are already receiving pain medications. For example, opioids are extensively used for management for moderate to severe pain, however, the opioids effectiveness can vary greatly between individuals. This variance is generally attributed to how well the individual metabolizes the opioids, either the drug is metabolized too quickly and leaves the body before it can have a real affect, or the drug is metabolized too slowly and the patient experiences an increase in toxicity due to the drug remaining in the body.

Pharmacogenomics personalized medicine allows every individual to take control of their own health care. Simply by obtaining a Buccal swab of the cheek, the individual can begin his path into pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine. Three weeks after the swab is taken, the genetic blue print, or Pharm D report, for that individual will be placed into the hands of their doctor, as well as being placed on a confidential Physician’s Portal available at DNA Stat.

Pharmacogenomics testing is what DNA Stat does best. A relatively new field of medicine, pharmacogenomics is an enthralling blend of the study of genetics with pharmacology. This delicate fusion allows doctors to prescribe the exact right medications and treatments for their patients. Pharmacogenetics pharmacogenomics not only makes doctors’ jobs easier; it’s allowing all types of patients to lead healthier lives.

If doctors are able to accurately prescribe pain management and pharmacogenomics, they are able to effectively manage their patient’s pain while also considering treatments that otherwise might not have occurred to them, based on the patient’s genetic blueprint. The bottom line is that pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine is saving lives every day by allowing doctors to customize prescriptions that will eliminate toxicity upon medication ingestion.

By obtaining a swab of the cheek by a clinical professional, an individual can, after three weeks, provide their doctor with a “genetic blueprint” that will allow the doctor to prescribe medicines that will elicit only the maximum clinical efficacy. A clinical application specialist, along with a licensed pharmacist, will study the results of the cheek swab so that the doctor not only receives recommendations and suggestions on the best medications to use for the patient, but also the best treatments and the best prescription dosages.

What is the value of the Pharm D Report and why is it worth a patient’s weight in gold? The Pharm D contains information that allows the patient’s doctor to specifically prescribe medication that will work for them. This means taking out all of the guess work, taking out all of the time lost during medication trial and error, and taking out the possibility of an adverse drug reaction which is responsible for the deaths of 100,000 people every year in the United States alone. The Granddaddy of all of this is the PharmGKB, the “Holy Grail” of the medical world and pharmacogenomics. This database is available to educate researchers, clinicians and other medical personnel and advises how genetic variation will impact a patient’s drug response.  Heading into the 21st century, pharmacogenomics is only scratching the surface, with much, much more to come.

The pharmacogenomics testing process is relatively simple. Because everyone responds differently (even slightly) to medications, pharmacogenomics companies test to see how the patient metabolizes different medications. Starting the process, the patient must get a Buccal swab of their cheek from their doctor’s office or local clinic. From there, the sample is sent to one of DNA Stat’s partnering labs for testing. Once completed, the results are put on an individualized patient report called a PharmD Report. The patient’s doctor is given access to this report, and based on the findings may adjust medications.

As one of the leading pharmacogenomics companies in the United States, DNA Stat provides pharmacogenomics testing services at very affordable prices.