Precision Medicine. Applied.
Leveraging the power of pharmacogenomics (PGx) to provide innovative and cost-effective precision medicine
Find out how you can control costs while improving the health and satisfaction of your members.
Pharmacogenomics
Just as there are known drug-drug interactions, there are also known drug-gene interactions. Pharmacogenomics is the study of how a person’s genes affect their response to specific medications. It is a type of precision medicine.
Scientists have found that specific areas of our DNA can predict whether certain medications will be effective or if they are likely to cause adverse drug reactions.
Currently, the FDA includes pharmacogenomic warnings on the labels of more than 200 medications.* A one-time saliva test lets doctors know whether a patient has specific genetic variants. This knowledge can influence dosing and the choice of medication. It can also alert physicians to avoid specific drugs.
*Table of Pharmacogenomic Biomarkers in Drug Labeling. US Food & Drug Administration website. Updated Feb 8, 2018. Accessed April 6, 2018. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ScienceResearch/ucm572698.htm
Drug Facts
Did you know?
Applied Precision Medicine
For Healthy Outcomes.
Coriell Life Sciences offers a comprehensive turnkey solution that enables organizations to offer one-time pharmacogenomic screening to their members. We’ll take care of everything—from sending invitations to reporting results. You don’t have to do a thing.
Reduce Healthcare Costs While Improving the Health and Satisfaction of Plan Members
Our proven methodology leverages the findings of the Coriell Institute and current FDA data to ensure your members are taking only those drugs that work for them. We’re confident you’ll realize an immediate decrease in your pharmaceutical spend. Our clients also realize subsequent reductions in adverse medication reactions, hospitalizations, emergency department visits, slip and falls, and hospital readmissions.
A Turnkey Medication Management Serving a Range of Customers
- Self-insured businesses
- National, state and local government benefit providers
- Healthcare payers
- Capitated Providers
- Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs)
- Countries with single-payer health care
- Single-payer systems
Pharmacogenics
How it Works
Step 01
Population Risk Assessment
The program begins with an analysis of your claims data, which we run through the Coriell Health Insight Portal (CHIP). Our algorithm can evaluate your population to determine potential risks, the number of people likely to benefit, and estimate your ROI.
For those organizations wishing to take a phased approach, we can begin with the subset of cohorts who would most benefit from PGx testing.
Step 02
Invitations Sent
CLS sends out invitations to your members, inviting them to participate in the new, voluntary benefit. This invitation is customizable and can accommodate your branding and language specific to your member population.
Step 03
Enrollment and Onboarding
The invitations provide your members with a phone number to an enrollment hotline as well as a link to an online enrollment site. Both sources also offer educational information and answers to FAQs.
As part of the enrollment process, we gather information on a member’s over-the-counter (OTC) medications, vitamins and supplements, and lifestyle, all of which aid in their medication analysis.
Step 04
DNA Collection Kits Sent
After enrolling, members receive a DNA collection kit with your branding. They simply spit into the tube provided and mail it to our lab in the postage-paid package.
Step 05
Laboratory Analysis
Our network of laboratories conduct the pharmacogenetics (PGx) analysis on the members’ DNA samples. This data is then sent to Coriell Life Sciences.
Step 06
Genetic Interpretation
The PGx data is run through the proprietary CLS algorithms. These algorithms arebased on extensive scientific research and clinical outcomes data from the Coriell Institute. The data driving these algorithms are regularly updated to reflect current research findings, new drug approvals, and current FDA advisories.
Step 07
Comprehensive Reporting
Based on the genetic interpretation, CLS generates a comprehensive report that takes into account a member’s:
- Pharmacogenomics
- Prescription and over-the-counter medications
- Supplements
- Health conditions
- Age
- Lifestyle (foods, drinks, smoking, etc)
Step 07 (continued)
Comprehensive Reporting
The report includes:
- Pharmacogenomic alerts
- Potential drug-drug interactions
- Information from FDA black box warnings
The detailed report is presented in both printed and interactive form.
Step 08
Expert Pharmacist Review and Recommendations
A pharmacy review team—yours or ours uses the real-time decision support tool to analyze appropriate substitute medications and pricing. Clear clinical recommendations are generated in the form of a Medication Action Plan (MAP).
Step 09
Physician Outreach
Pharmacists reach out to members’ designated physicians to provide clear, medically-relevant, and clinically-actionable recommendations. Physicians do not need to pore through the report; nor are they responsible for any interpretation.
Step 10
Prescription Modifications
Physicians, in concert with their patients, can elect to act on the MAP recommendations by “deprescribing” problematic medications, and switching to safer and more effective medications.
Step 11
Ongoing Savings Realization
Organizations and their members realize immediate savings through deprescribing of unnecessary and harmful medications.
Longer-term and ongoing savings are realized due to reductions in:
- adverse drug events
- slip and falls
- hospitalizations
- emergency room visits
- hospital readmissions
Our real-time dashboard enables organizations to track metrics based on your specific goals and KPIs.
Step 12
Population Risk Assessment
The one-time pharmacogenomic test enables your members to consult with a program pharmacist any time they receive a new prescription.
Your members benefit by being prescribed only the medications that are known to work for them. This improved drug regimen results in:
- fewer adverse drug events
- fewer slip and fall accidents
- fewer hospitalizations
- improved quality of life
- an overall healthier member population
Step 01
Population Risk Assessment
The program begins with an analysis of your claims data, which we run through the Coriell Health Insight Portal (CHIP). Our algorithm can evaluate your population to determine potential risks, the number of people likely to benefit, and estimate your ROI.
For those organizations wishing to take a phased approach, we can begin with the subset of cohorts who would most benefit from PGx testing.
Step 02
Invitations Sent
CLS sends out invitations to your members, inviting them to participate in the new, voluntary benefit. This invitation is customizable and can accommodate your branding and language specific to your member population.
Step 03
Enrollment and Onboarding
The invitations provide your members with a phone number to an enrollment hotline as well as a link to an online enrollment site. Both sources also offer educational information and answers to FAQs.
As part of the enrollment process, we gather information on a member’s over-the-counter (OTC) medications, vitamins and supplements, and lifestyle, all of which aid in their medication analysis.
Step 04
DNA Collection Kits Sent
After enrolling, members receive a DNA collection kit with your branding. They simply spit into the tube provided and mail it to our lab in the postage-paid package.
Step 05
Laboratory Analysis
Our network of laboratories conduct the pharmacogenetics (PGx) analysis on the members’ DNA samples. This data is then sent to Coriell Life Sciences.
Step 06
Genetic Interpretation
The PGx data is run through the proprietary CLS algorithms. These algorithms arebased on extensive scientific research and clinical outcomes data from the Coriell Institute. The data driving these algorithms are regularly updated to reflect current research findings, new drug approvals, and current FDA advisories.
Step 07
Comprehensive Reporting
Based on the genetic interpretation, CLS generates a comprehensive report that takes into account a member’s:
- Pharmacogenomics
- Prescription and over-the-counter medications
- Supplements
- Health conditions
- Age
- Lifestyle (foods, drinks, smoking, etc)
The report includes:
- Pharmacogenomic alerts
- Potential drug-drug interactions
- Information from FDA black box warnings
The detailed report is presented in both printed and interactive form.
Step 08
Expert Pharmacist Review and Recommendations
A pharmacy review team—yours or ours uses the real-time decision support tool to analyze appropriate substitute medications and pricing. Clear clinical recommendations are generated in the form of a Medication Action Plan (MAP).
Step 09
Physician Outreach
Pharmacists reach out to members’ designated physicians to provide clear, medically-relevant, and clinically-actionable recommendations. Physicians do not need to pore through the report; nor are they responsible for any interpretation.
Step 10
Prescription Modifications
Physicians, in concert with their patients, can elect to act on the MAP recommendations by “deprescribing” problematic medications, and switching to safer and more effective medications.
Step 11
Ongoing Savings Realization
Organizations and their members realize immediate savings through deprescribing of unnecessary and harmful medications.
Longer-term and ongoing savings are realized due to reductions in:
- adverse drug events
- slip and falls
- hospitalizations
- emergency room visits
- hospital readmissions
Our real-time dashboard enables organizations to track metrics based on your specific goals and KPIs.
Contact Us
Let's Get Started
Do you want to control your healthcare spend while improving the health and satisfaction of your members? Contact us to find out how much you could save.
Call (888) 415-7834 – or let us know below how we can reach you, and we’ll be in touch.
Teachers’ Group Retirement Plan
This state-run pension program covers approximately 33,000 retired teachers, ranging in age from 62 to 107. At 65, their members take an average of 15 prescription medications per year—in addition to over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and supplements. That’s a lot of copays and a lot of potential for side effects, adverse drug reactions, drug-drug interactions, and drug-gene interactions.
This group retirement plan was looking for an innovative solution to simultaneously lower healthcare costs while improving the health and satisfaction of members. In April 2017, they turned to Coriell Life Sciences.
As part of our turnkey, DNA-based medication management program, we began with a population risk assessment. Using the group’s claims data and our Comprehensive Health Insight Portal (CHIP), we found that almost 84% of members were on at least one drug known to be affected by genetics. Immediately, the group learned that 23,000 of their 33,000 members needed to stop or change at least one medication. We were able to give the plan administrators a sense of how much they could save by leveraging pharmacogenomics and which cohort of members would be most likely to benefit from PGx testing.
We reached out to these high-risk members first, inviting them to be tested as part of a free service offered by the retirement plan. CLS is handling everything, including invitations and enrollment. Members who agree to participate are sent a saliva collection kit that they then ship to one of our network of laboratories for DNA analysis.
For each member, we run the DNA analysis through our own interpretative algorithms to generate a detailed and personalized medicine report. This report includes pharmacogenomic alerts as well as known drug-drug interactions, lifestyle factors, age-related toxicity risks, FDA black box warnings, and medication risks associated with cognitive impairment. The interactive report is then subjected to pharmacist review to develop a recommended Medication Action Plan (MAP) shared with the member and their primary care physician.
Throughout the program, a dashboard allows the plan administrators to monitor overall member enrollment and progress through the system. The administrators receive general financial and plan statistics, while members’ individual health privacy is maintained.
Results Thus Far
- 56% of members tested received immediate medication change recommendations
- 32% were told they have genetic issues with statins
- 46% were alerted not to take Metoprolol
- 28% were found to be non-responders to Plavix
Reactions From Members
- “The test identified two problematic issues in my gene structure.”
- “It’s nice to see TRS participating in new and more exciting things.”
- “This is what health care should be.”
The one-time DNA analysis continues to serve the members long-term. As they are prescribed other drugs, they can consult with the plan’s pharmacy board to ensure the drug is right for them.
Fully Capitated ACO
A 4-year program of pharmacogenomic testing and reporting on this population of 80,000 elderly patients resulted in the following savings and reduction in adverse drug events:
4-YEAR RESULTS
- 17.9% reduction in direct pharmacy spend
- 29% reduction in hospitalizations
- 24% reduction in slip and falls
- 94% acceptance of Rx change recommendations
Client Reaction
“I believe it would be unethical not to have all of our participants tested.”