Pharmacogenomics (PGx) for doctors and other healthcare professionals

Your patients’ well-being is important, but the road to recovery can be hindered by a lengthy trial and error process not tailored to your patients’ individual characteristics [1]. The pharmacogenomic test enables you to make more informed decisions.

Using a pharmacogenomic test helps to reduce the incidence of adverse reactions of medications and increase the efficacy of treatments. [2,3]

Pharmacogenomic testing is recommended by CANMAT in cases of suboptimal response to an initial antidepressant.

The Biron PGx test identifies common and rare genetic variants across multiple ethnic backgrounds, increasing the chance of obtaining clinically relevant patient data.

See the list of 145 medications covered by our pharmacogenomic tests here.

• Reviewed clinical guidelines. We reference and integrate all peer-reviewed clinical guidelines in the report.
• Co-created with psychiatrists. We co-created the report with psychiatrists to offer an intuitive format that breaks down your patient’s predispositions to medication effects into three categories: 1) Exposure, 2) Efficacy, 3) Adverse drug reactions.
• Fewer false negatives. We provide the most comprehensive list of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic variants in Canada in order to offer fewer false negative results than other pharmacogenomic tests for mental health problems and pain management.
• All alleles are tested. We test all key alleles identified in the “Minimum, evidence-based genetic testing panel” for psychiatry and recommended by the Association of Molecular Pathology (AMP, Tier 1).
• Recommendations based on clinical evidence. Our pharmacogenomic recommendations are provided using an open and peer-reviewed approach that ensures transparency.

Fill in the requisition and give it to your patient.

Patients can order their test kit online, or you can offer them the option of picking it up at your clinic. Contact us for this option.

The patient takes a saliva sample according to the instructions in the kit. They send the sample, requisition and consent form (if applicable) by mail, using the envelope provided.

An email notification is sent as soon as the results are ready (roughly five working days after receipt of the sample). You can view the report directly on the Biron portal. The patient also has access to their results on the portal.

Here are some online resources to support your practice, from prescribing the test to interpreting the report.

Find the answers to your questions in our FAQ section or write to us at genetique@biron.com for any other question.