PharmacoGenetic Testing

Medications - One Size Does Not Fit Everyone

Everyone has unique genetic make-up. We all know that this is what determines the color of your eyes, the size of your nose, and whether you are likely to develop certain diseases. However, what you may not now is that your genetics can also affect how you respond to medications.

More than 75% of the population have genetic variations that determine how their bodies process and use drugs. This applies not only to prescription medications, but also to over-the-counter medicines, herbal and dietary supplements, and alternative drugs such as medical marijuana.

Because of these genetic differences, two people can take the same exact dose of the same exact medication, but respond in very different ways. The drug might work very well for one person, but not at all for another. Or the drug might cause side effects for one person, but no problems for someone else.

At Elite Urgent Care Centers we offer PharmacoGentic Testing to help determine a very personalized treatment plan that enables the selection of the right drug and dose for you and your unique genetic DNA. This will help assure better treatment results and fewer potential side effects.

In some cases, drug-related side effects can be serious or cause death – even though the drug was prescribed correctly by the doctor and used correctly by the patient. People who take several different drugs face an even greater risk of dangerous side effects, especially if they are over 65 years of age, because of drug interactions.

Each year, millions of people are hospitalized because of dangerous side effects caused by drugs. In fact, serious drug-related effects are the 4th leading cause of death in the US.

It's All About You

Now there is a simple genetic test that can help your doctor determine which drugs and doses are right for you. Personalized Elite Genetic Prescribing^® or Peg-P^® starts with a painless cheek swab done by one of our doctors. The swabs are then sent to our genetic testing laboratory to determine your unique drug-processing genetic characteristics.

We will receive a report with your results and detailed recommendations for possible changes to your drug regimen or dosages based on your DNA.

PEG-P^® can help you:

• Improve the effectiveness of the medications you take
• Reduce negative side effects
• Prevent serious drug reactions
• Avoid buying and using drugs that won't work for you.

Every Peg-P^® Plan comes with:

1. Wallet cards to help you share your drug processing information with all your other doctors
2. Secure online access to your results so healthcare providers can make safer, more informed prescribing decisions based on your unique genetic characteristics
3. Support from a team of licensed pharmacists and personalized prescribing specialists

Pharmacogenetics is the study of how a patient's genetic makeup contributes to a positive therapeutic result and/or adverse reactions to prescribed medications. Using pharmacogenetics, physicians can customize treatment plans that minimize adverse side effects or hazards. While a number of variables influence how medications affect individuals, genetics has been proven to play a significant role. The ability to predict how a patient will respond to a specific drug could have a dramatic impact on patient care and quality of life.

Personalized Medicine

Peg-P^® uses genetic information, lifestyle behavior, and other risk factors to tailor medical decisions and treatments to individual patients. Thus, pharmacogenetics provides knowledge that helps physicians prescribe a drug regimen with a greater probability of a positive outcome.