Genetic tests are bunk

[notloki]

https://www.statnews.com/2018/09/28/genetic-test-antidepressants/

In a review published this past April, a task force of the American Psychiatric Association’s research council concluded that such genetic testing is not ready for prime time in their field. “Although some of the preliminary published data sound promising,” the task force members wrote, “there is insufficient evidence to support widespread use of combinatorial pharmacogenetic decision support tools at this point in time.”

Dr. Bruce Cohen, a Harvard Medical School psychiatrist who previously ran McLean Hospital and is now on staff there, told STAT he would not order Color’s test or any of the other comparable tests on the market for his patients. “They cost a lot of money, and they have absolutely no proven value,” he said.

 

[CrazyRedhead]

Totally agree with the article.......That's why I haven't had any "genetic" testing conducted.

Good article and thanks for posting....!!

[Velvet Elvis]

This is what I said when I first head about them.  I didn't read the article yet but they seem to be more about detecting what will give you side effects than what will actually work. 

[looking for answers]

ive had it done, some things have made sense.....like how i metabolize caffeine at a high rate..........and certain drugs didnt feel like they did much(ones they say i need higher doses of).........otherwise non useful

[l'appel du vide]

I think the docs should start elaborating that the genetic tests only see if you metabolize drugs normally or abnormally, in layman's terms "too fast, too slow, or normal" because a lot of doctors say that these genetic tests will show exactly which medications will work. That's bull, it only shows if your liver digests a prozac normally.

[Velvet Elvis]

On the other hand, they have been advertising here like crazy here so maybe there is something to it. j/k.

[dancesintherain]

they probably wouldn't be pleased by the frequent bashing. ?

(that said, it does seem like opinions are mixed on this one...I fall into the bunk category)

[gb84]

18 hours ago, l'appel du vide said:

I think the docs should start elaborating that the genetic tests only see if you metabolize drugs normally or abnormally, in layman's terms "too fast, too slow, or normal" because a lot of doctors say that these genetic tests will show exactly which medications will work. That's bull, it only shows if your liver digests a prozac normally.

That's what I was told when I did genesight.  Nothing good has come from the test.  Even with it, it is still a crapshoot as to what might work.  I was given false hope and basically lied to.  When I brought the results to my newer doc, she told me that I wasted my money. 

Edited December 18, 2018 by gb84

[Ion]

I've thought about having it done. I've taken a few meds (not specifically psych meds) where my response made me wonder if I might metabolize some things differently. If that turned out to be the case I don't know if my doctor would change doses based on the results or if changing the dose would actually make a difference in practice

[tryp]

It has very limited utility - zero utility in terms of efficacy. However specifically in people who get tons of side effects from everything, or for whom nothing works, it can be useful to try to figure out if different dosing can solve those problems. For the general population it’s not really worth it. I considered getting it because I get side effects from everything but I never got around to it. 

Edited December 26, 2018 by tryp