Episode Details

  • Guest: Dr. Troy Veale, Lauren Bopp & Kiera DesChamps
  • Title: Pharmacogenetics and personalized medication management

QUOTES

“When I learned about the test, the first thing I said was, ‘Why isn’t everybody doing this?’” — Kiera DesChamps

“People want to know more about their bodies. They want to take more control over their health and interventions.” — Kiera DesChamps

“The biggest moment is when families realize symptoms they assume were part of aging, they actually may be a medication-related situation.” — Dr. Troy Veale

“What works for me might not work for you. Medications are not one size fits all.” — Lauren Bopp

“You’re taking this medication and it’s building up in your body because you can’t get rid of it. Your body can’t eliminate it. So then you get these toxic levels of the drug in your body which cause toxic side effects, the dizziness, the fainting, the falling, confusion.” — Lauren Bopp

“If you’re dismissing these side effects and they’re speaking up for themselves, saying, ‘Hey, I don’t feel right,’ you could potentially prolong an issue to the point where it could cause hospitalizations or falls that result in injuries.” — Lauren Bopp

“It’s not about replacing doctors. It’s about empowering them, giving them more tools to utilize whenever prescribing medication.” — Dr. Troy Veale

“It could be six months, it could be 12 months, it could be 18 months down the line to find out this wasn’t even the right medication for you.” — Dr. Troy Veale

“If she had it to start, then she wouldn’t have spent a year and a half taking the wrong medication, not feeling any relief, and then ultimately having to go to the hospital because of complications.” — Lauren Bopp, on her mother’s experience

“It’s more than a manicured community having the best colors. All of those things matter as well. But we also want somebody to have a healthy, happy life as they start to make this decision and their families have peace of mind.” — Kiera DesChamps

“I would like to see it treated as if it’s almost like an allergy. If you’re going to have side effects or you’re not going to respond to this medication, then why would your doctor prescribe it?” — Lauren Bopp

“Stay curious and never stop questioning how healthcare can be improved, because healthcare can improve as long as the technology and science are out there. As the science improves, technology improves, life improves.” — Dr. Troy Veale

NOTES

Dr. Troy Veale is CEO of PHD Laboratory and works at the intersection of laboratory science, medication management and personalized healthcare. He is focused on expanding awareness and adoption of pharmacogenetic testing and helping providers use genetic information to make more informed prescribing decisions.

Lauren Bopp is a molecular biologist with PHD Laboratory who brings a scientific perspective to pharmacogenetic testing. She helps explain how an individual’s genetics can affect the way medications are metabolized and how PGx results can help identify medications and dosages that may be a better fit.

Kiera DesChamps is founder of KD Consulting Group and brings extensive experience working with the senior living industry. After learning about PGx testing herself, she immediately saw its potential for older adults, families and senior living communities and has become an advocate for increasing awareness and adoption.

PHD Laboratory provides pharmacogenetic, or PGx, testing designed to help providers understand how a patient’s genetics may affect their response to medications. Using a cheek swab, the test can help identify medications that may work well, require caution or may not be metabolized effectively by an individual.

PHD Laboratory does not submit patients’ genetic data to third-party companies or future research projects. Genetic material is used for the patient’s test and then discarded rather than being stored for an extended period.

KD Consulting Group works with senior living organizations and industry partners. Through her work, Kiera focuses on connecting senior living communities with resources and solutions that can improve resident outcomes, strengthen the family experience and provide operators with meaningful points of differentiation.

PGx testing can help determine which medications may work best for an individual, which should be approached cautiously and which a person’s body may have difficulty metabolizing. Because medications are not one size fits all, the same prescription can affect two people very differently.

Some symptoms commonly attributed to aging, including confusion, dizziness and falls, may actually be related to medication interactions or the body’s inability to properly metabolize a drug. Dismissing those symptoms as simply part of getting older can allow problems to continue and potentially lead to injuries or hospitalization.

PGx is intended to empower physicians rather than replace their expertise. Instead of relying entirely on trial and error and waiting weeks or months to see how a patient responds, providers can use genetic information as another tool when selecting medications and determining appropriate dosages.

Lauren shared the experience of her mother, who spent about a year and a half taking a medication that caused significant side effects and eventually contributed to signs of liver failure. PGx testing later revealed the medication was not a good match for her, allowing her physicians to make a change.

Medication management can become particularly complicated for older adults who see multiple specialists. A cardiologist, primary care physician and other providers may each prescribe medications without always having a complete picture of the patient’s regimen. A PGx report can provide information that patients can share across specialties.

For senior living communities, PGx testing can become part of both resident care and the family experience. Demonstrating that a community is paying close attention to medications, side effects and outcomes can provide families with greater peace of mind while potentially contributing to fewer hospitalizations, stronger resident retention and improved quality of life.

Provider adoption remains a challenge in part because physicians and other healthcare professionals have significant demands on their time and PGx may not have been part of their original medical education. Connecting the technology to priorities such as patient outcomes, value-based care and reimbursements can help providers understand its relevance.

PGx testing is a one-time test because an individual’s genes do not change. Results can potentially remain useful as a person develops new health conditions or is prescribed different medications later in life, making the information something patients can carry forward as part of their medical history.

The guests see greater integration of PGx information into healthcare systems and electronic medical records as an important next step. Lauren compared the concept to documenting a medication allergy: if providers know in advance that a patient is likely to experience side effects or not respond to a medication, that information can help guide prescribing decisions.