Avera rolls out new genetic test to personalize medication plans

By Jodi Schwan

A new test being rolled out at Avera Health is designed to determine how certain medications might affect patients based on their genetics.

It’s called Genefolio, and both the service as well as the price are unique in healthcare, Avera leaders say.

Patients take a blood test that determines how they metabolize medications, including pain relievers, heart and cholesterol medications, and psychotropic, or behavioral health, drugs.

A customized panel shows which families of medicine might be effective, which might not show much effect and which might cause adverse effects.

It goes a long way in explaining why one person might be able to take a Benadryl and function all day, for instance, while someone else might take one and fall asleep for hours.

Dr. Andrea Miller

“Our response – to any medication – is based on genetics,” said Dr. Andrea Miller of Avera Medical Group. “It (Genefolio) helps me determine and takes some of the trial and error out of choosing what might be the best option for a patient.”

Avera has been slowly rolling out the test with patients, including Barry Cordie.

He was referred to Miller as part of his treatment for depression earlier this year. She recommended a Genefolio test.

“I said, ‘OK, I’ll do whatever needs to be done. I just want to feel good again.’ Next thing I know, I’m talking to my doctor about what should work for me and what might have issues and what definitely will have issues,” Cordie said. “So we stayed away from the latter, and I’m feeling pretty good.”

It was a relief, he said, to know he likely avoided what could have been months of trying medications searching for the best fit. He also recently was diagnosed with diabetes, so finding out which drugs interact best and which to avoid has been helpful, he said.

“I had no idea it was even a thing. It sounds so futuristic, like a Star Wars thing, but it’s here and now, and it works very well,” Cordie said.

In a short time, the cost of the test has come down considerably, Miller said. It starts at $179 plus lab fees, but results are valid for life.

“Once it’s done, it’s good forever,” she said. “We can take all that information and apply it to nearly any medication. Even if you’re not on a lot of medications now, down the road it may be helpful. I really talk about it to patients who are on several medications or if they feel like they’re more sensitive to medications or have more side effects than the average person.”

Genefolio can be especially helpful for psychiatric patients and elderly ones, she said.

“For example, if an older person has a side effect of dizziness from a medication and falls, that can cause a lot more serious complications for them than it may for you or me.”

The test is still fairly rare in the U.S., particularly at the price Avera has set for it, Miller said.

Early reviews from physicians and patients have been positive, she added.

“It’s very reassuring for me as a physician knowing that I’m prescribing something that’s not going to harm them and also knowing that it really increases the chance of it working for a person,” Miller said.

“It also really helps with patient compliance because they have added confidence in it – knowing that it’s not likely to cause side effects and that it fits well with their genetics. When they can see in black and white that their genetics say that a medication is or isn’t good for them, it gives them confidence.”

Want to stay in the know?

Get our free business news delivered to your inbox.



Avera rolls out new genetic test to personalize medication plans

A new test being rolled out at Avera Health is designed to determine how certain medications might affect patients based on their genetics.

News Tip

Have a business news item to share with us?

Scroll to top