Pharmacogenetic Testing now available at your local Conway’s Pharmacy

Conway’s Pharmacy is excited to offer a new way of providing you with technologically

advanced healthcare options. We are partnering with FlexHealth in Columbus, Ohio to bring

pharmacogenetic testing to Knox County.

What is Pharmacogenetic testing (PGx)? It is the testing of numerous human genes to

determine gene variants and how individuals may potentially react to specific medications. This

type of testing is helpful because it gives healthcare providers, like pharmacists and prescribers,

essential information about the genetic and scientific makeup of the patient to potentially reduce

the need for “trial-and-error” dosing and can substantially reduce the risk associated with

Adverse Drug Events (ADEs).

This incredible amount of information will also translate into savings in medical expenses for the patient, as the pharmacy and medical team reduce the number of dosage changes for the patients.

Pharmacogenetic testing also potentially decreases the number of medical visits to the prescriber

and also hopefully eliminates hospital and emergency room visits for the patient when a

medication regimen or dosage does not go as planned.

What medications does PGx testing cover? The FDA has updated the label of more than 200

drugs to include pharmacogenomics information and the list continues to grow. Pharmacogenetic testing is done with a 2-step oral swab of saliva in the patient’s mouth. The swabs are sent to the Flexsus Molecular Testing Facility which is a CLIA-certified and approved high-complexity medical laboratory. Your results come back in about 4 weeks to your health provider and the pharmacy provider will review your results and what impact they may have on current and future treatment regimens. These results are yours to keep for your lifetime. There are three groups that our team identifies where pharmacogenetic testing is significantly helpful: Patients, Providers and Employers.

The Patient group benefits from PGx testing as each patient responds to medications and

dosages. Some patients are sensitive to medications and others are not. A patient may experience a side effect whiles the other would not. A Provider (prescriber and pharmacist) benefits from PGx testing results as these results will significantly improve their clinical diagnostic expertise and plan of care. This information helps in identifying potential adverse medication reactions and allows for a safer dosage alternative to be suggested. Finally, the Employer greatly benefits from successful PGx information as it will make their employee a healthier employee. Having this information will decrease readmission to hospitals by over 50%, decrease emergency room visits, the overall per-employee spend can be greatly decreased and the complete health of the employee patient can be significantly improved.

Pharmacogenomic testing is $399 for a one-lifetime test. Commercial insurance coverage is very limited and varies by plan and employer. Employers can definitely work directly with our

pharmacies to create coverage opportunities. Conway’s Pharmacy is excited to be a partner with

Flexhealth and bring the opportunity to you to help uncover your unique genetic composition so

we can handle your medical prescription care to the top potential.