New research shows YouScript cuts ER visits, hospitalizations

What if an under-used type of genetic testing combined with state-of-the-art clinical decision support software could cut ER visits by more than half and reduce hospitalizations by a third in the elderly? New research has found that the YouScript Personalized Prescribing System, combining pharmacogenetic testing and patented medication management software, can do just that. Preliminary data from a soon-to-be-published study … Read More

October: Now is the time to get informed about breast cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the U.S., meaning now is the time to learn more about the disease, the genetic component to a common breast cancer medication and steps women can take to detect the disease early. Breast cancer strikes about one in eight women in the U.S. and is the second leading cause of cancer death in … Read More

Professor spearheads pharmacogenomics learning program for pharmacists

Professor David Kisor saw a need for more pharmacogenomic education for pharmacists, and he wanted to fill it. Dr. Kisor, PharmD, serves as professor and chair of pharmaceutical sciences at Manchester University’s Pharmacy Program, in Fort Wayne, Ind. He’s long been interested in the field of pharmacogenomics, or how individual genetic differences affect drug response, and has written extensively on … Read More

Illinois hospital system launches personalized medicine program

Personalized medicine can mean many things to many people. To the healthcare professionals at NorthShore University HealthSystem, it means a comprehensive approach to patient care that takes into account individual DNA and family medical history. Earlier this year, the four-hospital network in Illinois announced a personalized medicine program that “utilizes an individual’s health history and DNA to better predict, prevent … Read More

Medicare coverage in the era of precision medicine

By John C. Nelson, MD, MPH I was pleased to read an insightful editorial discussing precision medicine in the June edition of the Journal of the American Medicine Association. There is great promise for patients in improving their quality of care as well as the potential to decrease the healthcare costs associated with preventable morbidity and mortality. It is, therefore, … Read More

Genelex associate lab director follows life-long passion for pharmacogenetics research

As a 12 year-old-boy in India, Ranjit Thirumaran, M.Pharm, PhD, saw the toll adverse drug reactions can take firsthand. Following hospitalization after a minor accident, his uncle suddenly died, likely due to an adverse drug reaction from a recently administered dose of warfarin. “I was always curious: Could something have been done to save him?” said Dr. Thirumaran, Genelex’s associate … Read More

Gauging the IMPACT of pharmacogenetic testing

Update: The results of this research are in! Find out more here. How can pharmacogenetic testing improve care for elderly patients taking multiple medications? Genelex is trying to find out. As a pioneer in the field of personalized medicine, Genelex, the creators of the YouScript Personalized Prescribing System, is continually investigating ways to further research on the benefits of pharmacogenetic … Read More

Case Report: Common ADHD treatment has reverse effect on 6-year-old boy

Physicians and family taking care of a 6-year-old boy diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) found a common medication used to treat the condition was having the reverse effect. The boy, being treated by providers in Thailand, was described as mischievous, disorderly and restless while at school. He would ignore people around him and even created and spoke his … Read More

Large study links DPYD genetic variations and toxicity of cancer drug

The association between variants of the DPYD gene and serious side effects from the cancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5–FU) in colon cancer patients has been bolstered by the results of recent large-scale study. The largest study to date investigating the association between DPYD variants and 5-FU adverse drug events has found a statistically significant association between two variants that decrease DPYD … Read More