Multigene pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing reduces adverse reactions to medication

Have you ever wondered why your doctor prescribed a specific medication to treat a bad headache? For many health organizations, genetic background checks are carried out on a per-patient basis behind the scenes to determine how the human body responds to certain medications. This “background check” is known as pharmacogenomics, a field dedicated to uncovering how the body’s genetic makeup can potentially affect reactions to medication.

Many people are on the same medications to treat common conditions, but individuals may react very differently to those medications. In the United States, adverse reactions to medication are a leading cause of hospitalization or even death. 

A recent European clinical study evaluated the use of a pharmacogenetic (PGx) panel in reducing adverse reactions to medication. The most significant finding of this study was that only 152 (21%) of the 725 patients in the drug-gene interaction group that deviated from standard-of-care drug treatment experienced an adverse drug reaction, compared to the 231 (27.7%) of the 833 patients who received standard treatment in the control group. 

Today, there are screening processes that analyze a larger gene panel. ActX’s GenoACT evaluates patients’ genetics, verifies prescriptions, and notifies physicians of potential adverse reactions to ensure the correct drug and dosage. According to the ActX official website, “90% of patients carry variants that affect medications.” 

Here at Mount Sinai, our team utilizes ActX screening, which covers over 50 genes to ensure patients receive medication prescriptions that minimize their risk of an adverse reaction. Our mission is to provide exceptional patient care by vetting hundreds of medications to identify those that could cause potential reactions.

Your Mount Sinai primary care physician can help to facilitate this innovative screening. The process is easy: Every time your physician writes a prescription for you, including those during a hospital stay, ActX will check the drug against your genetics, alerting your physician if there’s an issue with medication side effects, efficacy, or dosing. Your test results will be available in MyChart for your review. Using just a small amount of saliva, the test analyzes your DNA (genetics) and then provides evidence-based, up-to-date information to you and your physician. 

The ActX service costs $395 for medications, genetic risk, and carrier status coverage; may be covered by insurance; and can be purchased with flexible spending accounts (FSA) or health savings accounts (HSA), saving money by using pretax dollars. Talk to your Mount Sinai PCP about this service today!