NSARG Meeting Feb 18 2016 - Pharmacogenetics in Benefit Plans - Personalized Prescribing

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Personalized Genetics: The New Trend in Employee Benefits

You’ve ever had a bad reaction to a medication

OR

Know someone who has?

Raise your hand if :

Your medications should be helping you not hurting you

S Toxic? S Effective?

We are all unique, and so is the way we respond to meds

Main factor that predicts medication response = Genetics

Case Study – Kelly is an employee who has atrial

fibrillation

What happened to Kelly?

Kelly has a “genetic incompatibility” to her

medication. It kept her away from work and could have

taken her life.

Case Study – Sarah is an employee who has severe

clinical depression

What happened to Sarah?

Sarah has a “genetic incompatibility” to her

medication. It kept her away from work and could have

taken her life.

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What is the solution to this problem?

Pharmacogenetics

§  Utilizes genetic testing to determine how you will respond to medications §  Is NOT a test that predicts disease risk §  Similar to an allergy test (information cannot hurt you)

Pharmacogenetics: More ‘Tailored’ Drug Regimen

Test Results

§ Discrimination § Liability § Privacy

Concerns

Bill S201

Discrimination

http://www.revolution10.uk/revolution-10-at-the-house-of-commons/

§  Bill S201 §  What do we do until the bill is passed?

§  CLHIA statement on genetic testing

Genetic Discrimination

§  Plan design & implementation §  Employee-Employer confidentiality

Privacy & Liability

Privacy & Liability: Plan Design

S Things to look for: S  Employee provides written consent with full

disclosure of implications S  Barcode system that protects genetic information S  No raw genetic information is shared

Implementation into a Benefit

S  Employee benefit for employers S  Similar to an EAP

S  Everyone is covered and employees who meet eligibility can requisition the test on a volunteer basis with consent

S  Does not replace your drug plan S  Makes it more effective

The Process

The Process

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Why Implement?

Return on Investment

S Absenteeism savings (3 fold)

S Disability savings (4 fold)

S Happy and healthy employees

Winner et al., Translational Pyschology, 2013

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Questions?

Contact Me Confidentially

Zahra Sakkejha

1 (844) 943 – 0210 x263 [email protected]