Medication Check (PGx) Report FAQ
Pharmacogenomics (PGx) studies how your genetic makeup affects your response to medications. The Medication Check (PGx) Report analyzes your genes to provide personalized guidance on how you might respond to over 50 medications, helping your healthcare provider optimize your treatment plan.
Variations in your genes can influence how drugs are metabolized, which affects effectiveness, side effects, and appropriate dosing. SelfDecode's report is based on clinical guidelines from CPIC, FDA, DPWG, and PharmGKB.
Note: This report requires a SelfDecode DNA file. Third-party DNA files are not compatible with the Medication Check (PGx) Report due to the specific genetic data needed. If you've uploaded a third-party file and want this report, you'll need to purchase a SelfDecode DNA kit.
What Does the Medication Check (PGx) Report Include?
The report analyzes your genes and categorizes drugs into two groups:
- 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. This can mean higher chances of side effects, need for dose adjustments, or availability of better alternatives.
The report covers over 50 medications and provides detailed prescribing guidance for each.
👉 View a sample Medication Check (PGx) Report to see the drugs covered and report format.
👉 We also offer DNAmind PGx, a separate report focused on mental health medications. View a sample DNAmind PGx Report here. See our comparison article to understand which report fits your needs.
How Does the Report Work?
The Medication Check (PGx) Report examines specific genetic variants and variant combinations (haplotypes) you inherit from each parent. These combinations predict your metabolizer type for each 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 effectiveness 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 Results
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.
Access detailed guidance by visiting your results page. Click the Understanding PGx report dropdown or download your PDF for full details.
Report Limitations
- Focuses on genetic factors; age, weight, medical conditions, and lifestyle 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.
- Limited to specific alleles for each gene. Gene deletions and duplications are not analyzed.
Can the Report Identify All My Drug Responses?
No. The Medication Check (PGx) Report focuses on the most studied and clinically relevant medications and variants. It does not cover every possible drug or genetic response.
Does the Report Replace My Doctor's Advice?
No. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or adjusting medications. The Medication Check (PGx) Report is a tool for your healthcare provider—it does not replace medical advice or diagnose 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 medical decisions.
Can I Self-Adjust My Medications Based on This Report?
No. Adjusting medications without medical guidance can be dangerous. Always take medications as directed by your healthcare provider. Self-adjusting based on this report can lead to unintended health consequences.
Want More Insights?
We recommend exploring our other premium reports for comprehensive health insights. Visit your dashboard to explore additional health reports.
For questions or sample reports, contact us at support@selfdecode.com.
Need Help Understanding Your Results?
DecodyGPT is your personal AI health coach, ready to answer questions about your reports and help you understand your health data.