Medication Check (PGx Testing) FAQ

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) studies how your genetic makeup affects your response to medications. Variations in your genes can influence how drugs are metabolized, which can impact effectiveness, side effects, and appropriate dosing.

SelfDecode’s Medication Check Report provides insights into these genetic factors, allowing healthcare providers to personalize your treatment based on your genetics.

To ensure accuracy, this report requires a SelfDecode DNA file. Unfortunately, third-party DNA files are not compatible with the Medication Check (PGx) Report due to the specific genetic data we need. If you’ve uploaded a third-party file and wish to access this report, you’ll need to purchase a SelfDecode DNA kit.

What Does the Medication Check Report Include?

The report analyzes your genes to provide guidance on over 50 medications. It categorizes drugs into:

Standard Precautions: Drugs likely to work well at standard dosages with low risk of side effects.
Use with Caution: Medications that may cause adverse effects or require dosage adjustments due to your genetics. It can mean:
- there may be a higher chance of side effects and toxicity.
- the standard dosage may not be appropriate and your healthcare provider might adjust the dose.
- an alternative drug may be a better option when available.

Recommendations are based on clinical guidelines from CPIC, FDA, DPWG, and PharmGKB.

Click here to see a sample of SelfDecode's Medication Check Report, including a list of the drugs covered. Please note that this report is subject to change.

How Does It Work?

The Medication Check Report examines specific genetic variants and variant combinations (haplotypes) you inherit from each parent. These combinations help us to predict your metabolizer type for a given drug:

Normal Metabolizer: Processes drugs as expected.
Intermediate / Poor Metabolizer: Processes drugs slower; may need dose adjustments or alternatives.
Rapid / Ultra-Rapid Metabolizer: Processes drugs faster; may affect efficacy or potency.
Indeterminate: Not enough variant data to assign a metabolizer type.

The report translates these metabolizer types into actionable insights for your healthcare provider.

Interpreting Your Medication Check Report

For each medication, the report provides:

Associated genes and variants
Guidance on dosage adjustments or alternative medications based on your genetics
“Use with Caution” flags to highlight potential risks

Important: This report does not replace your doctor’s advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any medication changes.

Detailed guidance can be found here in your SelfDecode account. Click the Understanding PGx report drop-down on that page once your results are generated. You can also find details under How this works section if you download your Medication Check Report as a PDF.

Limitations

Focuses on genetic factors; other factors like age, weight, medical conditions, and lifestyle can also influence drug metabolism.
Covers only the most studied and clinically relevant gene-drug interactions.
Does not detect all variants or gene deletions/duplications outside the listed alleles.
It does not report polymorphisms other than those specifically listed, and mutations in other genes associated with drug metabolism will not be detected.
- Metabolizer type reporting is limited to the following alleles: CYP2B6: *1, *2, *4, *5, *6, *9, *18, *22, *26, *28, *38; CYP2C9: *1, *2, *3, *4, *5, *6, *8, *11, *12, *13, *15, *27; CYP2C19: *1, *2, *3, *4, *5, *6, *7, *8, *9, *10 & *17; CYP3A4: *1, *3, *18, *20 & *22; CYP3A5: *1, *3, *6 & *7; NUDT15: *1 & *3; SLCO1B1: *1, *4, *5, *9, *14, *15, *19, *20, *23, *24, *25, *28, *31, *32, *37, *40, *45, *46 & *47; TPMT: *1, *2, *3A, *3B, *3C, & *4. Any allele identified as a default star-allele (CYP2B6*1, CYP2C9 *1, CYP2C19 *1, CYP3A4 *1, CYP3A5 *1, NUD15*1, SLCO1B1*1, TPMT *1) indicates the absence only of the other alleles listed and does not imply that other variants in the gene are absent. Gene deletions and duplications are not analyzed in this report.

Does the Medication Check Report replace my doctor’s advice?

No. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or adjusting medications.

The Medication Check Report is a tool for your healthcare provider. It does not replace medical advice or diagnose any conditions.

While unlikely, this report may provide false positive or false negative results. Confirm any results with an independent specialized genetic test prescribed by a healthcare professional before making any medical decisions.

Can I use the Medication Check Report to self-adjust medications?

No. Adjusting medications without medical guidance can be dangerous.

Medications should always be taken as directed by your healthcare provider. Self-adjusting medications based on this report can lead to unintended health consequences.

Can the report identify all my drug responses?

No. It focuses on the most studied and clinically relevant medications and variants.

Can I see a sample Medication Check Report?

Absolutely! Please click here for a sample Medication Check Report.

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