How do I get a pharmacogenetic test?
Ask your doctor, who can order a test from a medical laboratory. Some major institutions, such as the Mayo Clinic, the Indiana University School of Medicine, and St. Jude Children’s Hospital, also offer pharmacogenetic testing. If you take a test, a technician will draw a sample of your blood or rub a cotton swab along the inside of your cheek to collect cells. The lab will extract genetic material from the sample and carry out the test. These tests typically cost a few hundred dollars and may be covered by your health insurance company. Cancer biopsy samples are also often subjected to genetic tests. The results can help guide therapy and predict the likelihood of recurrence. Several such tests have been approved by the FDA.
