Thanks to the evolving genetic testing technology and the growing precision of genetic tests, medicine is turning into a health-enhancing instrument increasingly associated with pinpoint accuracy. OmeCare, a San-Diego DNA testing company, has gone so far as to offer a mechanism to determine prescribed medication’s efficacy for different conditions.
The first in OmeCare’s lineage is OmePsychiatricMed. It allows gauging the efficacy of antidepressants— SSRI and TCA type, mood stabilizers, atypical antipsychotics—and mental health medications. Given the rising use of antidepressants due to the COVID-19 pandemic that is taking a toll on mental health this test may be especially useful. During the first wave of the pandemic, available data suggests, anti-anxiety drug use jumped by a whopping 30%, more than double the number of insomnia aids—15%, and almost twice as high as antidepressants—close to 20%. The test effectively eliminates the oftentimes frustrating trial and error associated with the quest for the right medication.
OmePsychiatricMed is capable of analyzing our body’s likely response to 50+ psychiatric medications enabling a client or a physician to more quickly find the most effective treatment procedure. The test further shows in great detail which medications are not compatible with the enzymes produced by the body, minimizing the risk of negative side effects. The final result is a more balanced and customized prescription. OmePsychiatricMeds report is based on the genetic testing data and blood test results and arranges medications by category of use— ‘Preferential Use’, ‘Use as Directed’, ‘May Have Significant Limitations’, and ‘May Cause Serious Adverse Events’.
The second OmeCare product—PainMeds— screens pain medication efficacy and helps both patients and physicians better assess the consequences of taking pain medication. The Genetic Test for Pain Management Medication Efficacy provides information about genetic variables that can be shared with physicians for more personalized care. The test includes detailed breakdowns of each core aspect of a person’s genetic markers set and recommends how to improve one’s health. The report based on the test results describes how one’s body responds to 13 pain relief medications. Using this data physicians further decide on the best treatment with minimal, if any, adverse effects. PainMeds tells how our body metabolizes a particular pain drug, which medications may lead to unpleasant or even life-threatening side effects, and specifies safe dosage.
What favorably distinguishes OmeCare from its competitors is the fact that PainMeds reports are based on scientifically verified genetic information. Each report’s conclusion is assigned a score that shows how solid is its scientific foundation. And finally, both tests—OmePsychiatricMed and PainMeds—are performed at home with OmeCare’s easy-to-use cheek swab. So there is no need to run the risk of public exposure at the time of the COVID pandemic.
These personalized OmeCare products take medicine to a different, more customized level, and make the treatment of various conditions more predictable and efficient.