On March 14, 2018, I had the pleasure of joining a patient, Kristen Davis, on the Dr. Oz Show to discuss the power the Genecept Assay® can have on mental health treatment.
During the segment, Kristen bravely shared her lifelong struggle with severe depression. She explained two mental health crises that she survived and her challenging journey over many years to find the right treatment for her mental illness.
Kristen said that after seeing 20 different mental health professionals and trying 15 different medications, she finally found a clinician who helped her understand how genetics had an influence on her depression outcomes.
Using the Genecept Assay, Kristen’s clinician uncovered certain genetic markers that helped him to make specific choices in terms of treatment for her depression. Kristen shared that this was a revelation for her and empowered her with information that will help her for the rest of her life.
The best part? Kristen started to feel better in a few weeks.
I was so honored to hear Kristen’s story firsthand. Unfortunately, Kristen’s struggle is not an uncommon experience. I often hear from clinicians during our clinical consultations about the challenging trial and error process they undertake when trying to find the right treatment for a patient’s mental illness.
That’s why Genomind created their pharmacogenetic assay, a genetic test designed to help clinicians optimize treatment decisions for patients with mental illnesses.
To begin, the clinician collects a small saliva sample from the inside of the cheek using a cotton swab and sends it to the Genomind lab. (Find out more about what happens at the lab here). After 3-5 business days, the clinician will receive the test results and use them to help determine a personalized treatment plan for their patient. The objective is to minimize side effects and find medications that are more likely to work, based on the patient’s individual biology.
If you are a patient interested in Genmind’s pharmacogenetic testing, speak with your clinician about whether the test is right for you (download our guide for starting that conversation). You may also want to review our cost, billing, and insurance coverage page. If you’re not quite ready to discuss your mental health treatment with a healthcare professional, use these resources for immediate support and assistance.
