CVS Wants Your Genes

Katherine Mangu-Ward | February 10, 2010

Genetic tests are ridiculously cheap these days: Last week, The New York Times ran a story about pre-conception genetic tests from a company called Counsyl. You send them $349, they send you a cup to spit in, and two or three weeks later they send you results for more than 100 genetic conditions. The price is right and the process is painless, but getting genetic info about hypothetical future spawn is a one-shot deal for most people, not something they're going to integrate into their health routine.

But after years of chatter about personalized medicine, two important companies have finally put their money where Ronald Bailey's mouth is.

About 100 million American have their prescription benefits managed by one of two companies, Medco or CVS Caremark. And both companies have recently invested in firms that aim to make genetic testing more accessible and easier for doctors and patients to interpret.

"Physicians understand the concept of pharmacogenomics, but they don't really feel comfortable interpreting the results," says Pat Deverka, a physician and researcher at the Institute for Pharmacogenomics and Individualized Therapy at the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill. A recent survey by Medco found that while almost all physicians polled recognized that genetic profiles may influence a reaction to a drug, only 10 percent believed they were adequately informed about pharmacogenetic testing.

And once they're invested in the world of personalized medicine, it only makes sense that these pharmacists would start investing in research:

Medco is also funding studies to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of specific pharmacogenomics tests, including those for the blood thinner warfarin and the breast cancer drug tamoxifen.

Get your genes ready!

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Binky|2.10.10 @ 5:30PM|#

You send them $349, they send you a cup to spit in, and two or three weeks later they send you results

At least you spit in their cup.

TickleStick|2.10.10 @ 5:34PM|#

Get your ~~genes~~ spit ready!

FIFY

|2.10.10 @ 5:34PM|#

I prefer to think that my cells contain little Shannon Tweeds, not Gene Simmonses.

Kant feel Pietzsche|2.10.10 @ 6:01PM|#

Mine used to contain little Dolph Lundgrens, now they are morphing into little Paul Reubens.

Steve Chaos|2.10.10 @ 5:59PM|#

They call me Dr. Love.

Well, no, not really. But perhaps Dr. Chaos will have to suffice.

|2.10.10 @ 6:18PM|#

the only thing I want in my genes is warty.

Warty|2.10.10 @ 6:46PM|#

I'm a protein, then?

|2.10.10 @ 8:53PM|#

He meant jeans.

Warty|2.10.10 @ 10:38PM|#

I'm high in protein, then?

Heh, heh...semen.

|2.10.10 @ 6:20PM|#

two important companies have finally put their money where Ronald Bailey's mouth is.

We have years of disclosures from Mr. Bailey documenting that this isn't the first time that's happened.

EJM|2.10.10 @ 7:38PM|#

(Insert inevitable Gong Show references here and here.)

John Tagliaferro|2.10.10 @ 8:09PM|#

Painless? I am preserving my precious bodily fluids. To spit in a cup would be agony.

Kant feel Pietzsche|2.10.10 @ 9:06PM|#

Just stick with the grain alcohol and rain water.

John Tagliaferro|2.10.10 @ 9:34PM|#

Those are the other three pillars of my regimine.

Do you keep your full auto defense weapon in your golf bag too?

John Tagliaferro|2.10.10 @ 9:35PM|#

add "two of the" up there somehwere ahead of three.

Kant feel Pietzsche|2.10.10 @ 11:54PM|#

No, I keep my inflatable John Tesh doll in my golf bag. My M-50 is in a cello case.

Amy Anonymity|2.10.10 @ 11:34PM|#

If ever there was a guy way too full of himself, it would be Gene Simmons!

jess
www.online-anonymity.cz.tc

Warty|2.10.10 @ 11:44PM|#

LOL I think you're really onto something, dude!

mike
www.durr-hurrr.cz.tc

Anonymity-Bot Supervisor|2.10.10 @ 11:57PM|#

Amy, this will be your third written reprimand in the last week. Turn in your PIN code. Security will escort you out.

|2.10.10 @ 11:53PM|#

Medco is also funding studies to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of specific pharmacogenomics tests, including those for the blood thinner warfarin...

That produced a big WTF for me. I only knew warfarin as a rat poison.

All in the dosage, I guess.

Kant feel Pietzsche|2.11.10 @ 12:00AM|#

Warfarin and Coumadin are two agents that reduce clotting in the bloodstream. They were used extensively in post-stroke and post-heart attack patients before effective anti-platelet meds were perfected. And they still are used short-term in certain cases.

|2.11.10 @ 12:47AM|#

Yeah, I got that from the wiki article.

But it is still a shock to see something mentioned as a medication when, prior to that, your only knowledge of it is as a poison.

|2.11.10 @ 8:51AM|#

State-sponsored lethal injection is basically potassium. Maybe everyone knows that, but I just found out.

Now I don't trust those shifty banana salesmen anymore.

Kant feel Pietzsche|2.11.10 @ 10:01AM|#

Well, a little more complicated than that. Heavy-duty barbituate to induce coma and respiratory depression, followed by a paralytic (usually succinylcholine) to induce respiratory arrest, then a BAM! of K+ to stop the heart. The ole' triple-whammy.

Syd Henderson|2.11.10 @ 11:02AM|#

I was surprised that curare used be used occasionally as a muscle relaxant during anaesthesia. Strychnine used to be used in small doses as a stimulant until it got replaced by drugs less likely to stimulate you to death.

Warfarin is still used long-term, and Warfarin and Coumadin are the same drug, by the way. One is the generic. Both are a racemic mixture of R- and S-warfarin.

I'll post again later, in my professional capacity, when we have news on the subject of Caremark.

*anxiously waits for news*

In the meantime, go take a gander at this.

Kant feel Pietzsche|2.11.10 @ 10:02AM|#

Durr, brainfart. You're right.

Kant feel Pietzsche|2.11.10 @ 10:04AM|#

Bottom line is: the only difference between therapeutic and poisonous for many substances is the dosage. You can die from an excess of literally anything. Excess water without electrolytes will do you in.

Jeff P|2.11.10 @ 11:22AM|#

It's a scientific fact that no one can get too much ME.

strat|2.11.10 @ 10:31PM|#

Paracelsus was the man.

I think the LD50 for water is about 6 litres.

zoltan|2.11.10 @ 10:18AM|#

As a CVS prescription customer, I applaud my health insurance choices.

Jeff P|2.11.10 @ 10:39AM|#

Almost 30 comments on a Kiss/Genetics thread and not a single link to Mini-Kiss:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....r_embedded

Y'all disappoint me.

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