UF Health's MyRx Program
Schedule an Appointment
Ask your doctor to refer you to the UF Health MyRx program for a virtual pharmacogenomics consultation. For more information, call 352-273-6415.
Director of the UF Health Pharmacogenomics Clinical Consultation Service
Emily J Cicali Pharm.D.
What is pharmacogenomics?
Pharmacogenomics – Individualized Medication Therapy
When choosing a drug, your health care providers consider many variables to determine the best medication and dose for you. This includes your diagnosis, other medical conditions, allergies, previous medication history and many other factors about you. People who appear to be similar for all these categories may respond differently to the same medication. For example, some people may experience side effects that range from mild to severe; while others may observe no effect at all. Pharmacogenomics is the study of how your genes affect your body’s response to different medications. The goal of the UF Health Pharmacogenomics Consultation Service is to help determine your pharmacogenomic makeup so we can help you receive drug and drug does that are likely to work best for you.
Pharmacogenomics Consultation at UF Health
You will provide a sample that will be sent to a laboratory for pharmacogenomic testing, which will measure features of your DNA relevant to drug response. This test can be ordered before you start a certain medication, or if you are already taking a medication that is not working or is causing side effects. Once we receive the test results, a pharmacogenomic expert will review them with you. Your results will tell us the following information:
- Certain medications may not work for you
- Certain medications may need a different dose of that medication to work best for you
- You may be more likely to have side effects from certain medications
We will use this information to make recommendations to your doctor about your current medications. These results will be added to your medical record to help your doctor(s) make better decisions about future medicines that may be prescribed.
Common Questions About Pharmacogenomics
How do your genes affect your response to medications?
Tiny differences in your DNA can have a huge impact on your body and how it works.
Why is pharmacogenomic testing important?
Based on genetic test results, we can better determine how an individual may respond to a medication and determine whether a higher or lower dose or a different medication altogether might be required.
What genes are we testing?
Our consultation service currently tests genes that affect medications that treat anxiety, depression, heartburn and pain, along with certain medications used after a heart attack. We will pick the best gene(s) to test for you based on your referral reason.