REFRESH DALLAS · PHARMACOGENOMIC TESTING
Genetic information, used responsibly.
Pharmacogenomic testing analyzes how your body metabolizes psychiatric medications. We offer it as part of the clinical picture, not as a magic answer to which prescription is right for you.
In-network with most major insurance · Same-week availability · Psychiatric specialists
THE SERVICE
What it actually is.
Pharmacogenomic testing looks at genetic variations that affect how you metabolize and respond to medications. The most useful information it provides is about how quickly or slowly your body processes specific classes of psychiatric drugs, which can inform dose selection and help anticipate side effects.
It is one piece of information. It is not a treatment plan. The clinical literature on pharmacogenomics in psychiatry is real but limited, and the way we use the results matters more than the test itself. A provider who treats the report as gospel and a provider who ignores it entirely are both doing it wrong.
WHAT TO EXPECT
How the test works.
The test itself is a cheek swab that can be done at home and mailed in. Results typically come back within a couple of weeks. We review the report with you at a follow-up visit and walk through what it tells us about your particular metabolism and what that means for medication choices and dosing.
If you've had multiple medications that didn't work or that produced strong side effects, the testing can help explain why and inform what to try next. If you're new to psychiatric medication, the test can sometimes help us start with a better-informed choice. If you're stable on a regimen that is working, the test is less likely to change anything.
WHO THIS IS FOR
People who've run out of obvious next steps.
Patients who have tried multiple psychiatric medications without success and want clinical information to help guide what comes next. Patients with significant side effects on standard doses who suspect they may be unusual metabolizers. Patients who want to understand their own biology as part of an informed treatment conversation.
Patients who are stable and doing well on their current medications usually do not benefit from the test. It is not a screening tool. It is a diagnostic adjunct used when the clinical question warrants it.
FAQ
Questions.
Coverage depends on your plan and the testing company's criteria. The testing company bills your insurance directly and will confirm any out-of-pocket cost with you before processing the sample.
Typically two to three weeks from sample submission, though specific timing varies by testing company.
No. The test gives us information about your metabolism for certain drug classes. The clinical decision about which medication is right for you takes that information along with everything else we know about your situation. The test is a piece of the picture, not the picture itself.
No. It's a cheek swab done at home and mailed in. Nothing more involved than that.
