NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Assurex Health and Skilled Care Pharmacy today announced a strategic partnership to provide Assurex's GeneSight genetic testing technology in the Midwest.
The technology will be made available by Skilled Care Pharmacy, a medical dispensing and pharmaceutical consulting firm, through its network. GeneSight provides healthcare providers a tool for the proper prescription of medications to patients with behavioral health conditions and chronic pain. Assurex Health and Canada's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health were recently awarded $6 million by Genome Canada to conduct a study into the use of the GeneSight Psychotropic test for guiding treatment decisions for depressed and schizophrenic patients, as Pharmacogenomics Reporter said.
Other GeneSight tests include the GeneSight MTHFR, GeneSight ADHD, and GeneSight Analgesic tests.
Assurex and Skilled Care Pharmacy especially noted the potential usefulness of GeneSight for seniors in long-term care. Citing statistics from the Geriatric Mental Health Foundation, they said that about 15 percent of people over the age of 65 and almost half of nursing home patients suffer from depression. Many elderly patients are prescribed multiple medications, including some that are high risk or no longer necessary, increasing the risk for adverse reactions and higher healthcare costs. GeneSight could help mitigate both problems.
"Skilled Care Pharmacy's pharmacists have a unique perspective on patient care," Assurex Health CEO Virginia Drosos said in a statement. "They can see when medications are being changed and can really have an impact on reducing polypharmacy. The GeneSight test is another way to help make that happen."
Skilled Care Pharmacy CEO Larry Galluzzo added that GeneSight will enable his firm to get customers on the most effective medications more quickly while minimizing trial and error. "Through this partnership, we will be able to improve the quality of life for many people across the Midwest region and further our commitment to help reduce psychoactive medication prescriptions by the thousands every year," he said.
Financial and other terms of the deal were not disclosed.