Could a Genetic Test Show How I'll Respond to Medications Like Plavix?

If you've ever started a new medication and felt worse before you felt better, or felt nothing change at all, then had to try a different dose, then a different drug entirely. You've experienced what most of healthcare still treats as normal. I see this constantly in my practice in Edina and across the greater Minneapolis area, and I don't think it has to be this way.

I started using pharmacogenomic testing because I grew tired of watching patients go through months of unnecessary:

And unnecessary healthcare costs from appointments spent troubleshooting instead of healing. I knew there had to be a better way to know, before a prescription is ever filled, whether it's actually going to work for the person taking it.

I know this firsthand because I tested myself. My results showed I'm a poor metabolizer for clopidogrel, the generic for Plavix, one of the most commonly prescribed blood thinners used to prevent dangerous clots.

For someone with my genetics, that medication wouldn't work the way it's supposed to, and in an emergency, that's not something you want to find out after the fact. That information is now on my medical record, so if I'm ever in a situation where a blood thinner is needed, providers know to reach for an alternative instead of a medication that wouldn't protect me.

It's one thing to talk to patients about the value of this testing. It's another thing to know that your own care is safer because of it.

Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing examines your genetic makeup to predict how your body is likely to metabolize and respond to specific medications. Instead of prescribing based on population averages and waiting to see what happens, I can use your genetic information to anticipate:

This doesn't replace clinical judgment. It adds information that clinical judgment didn't have access to. It's one of the clearest examples of precision medicine working the way it's supposed to: care built around your body, not a national average. When a client genuinely believes they are a non-smoker, they begin to act accordingly.

Yes. This is for anyone currently taking medications, not just people starting something new. If you've ever wondered why a medication that works for someone else doesn't work the same way for you, this is often part of the answer, and it's something we can now actually test for and understand.

Yes. PGx testing isn't new or experimental. It's supported by decades of research and is part of evidence-based clinical practice today.

A major foundation for this work comes from the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC), which develops peer-reviewed guidelines helping clinicians translate genetic test results into real prescribing decisions. These guidelines are continually reviewed and are used by health systems and clinicians across the country.

Pharmacogenomic testing isn't relevant to every medication or every situation. But where evidence-based gene-drug interactions exist, they give both the patient and the clinician real information rather than a guess, and that changes the entire conversation around a prescription.

This is a question I get a lot, and the honest answer surprises most patients: in day-to-day clinical practice, there isn't much difference.

Nurse practitioners:

The same way physicians do, especially in a clinic setting like mine. One of the most significant differences is that doctors (MDs) can perform full surgeries. The credentials behind the door don't change the standard of care you should expect to receive.

What matters more than the letters after my name is whether I'm taking the time to actually understand what's going on with you and using the best tools available, like pharmacogenomic testing, to get you there.

At True North Medical Care in Edina, pharmacogenomic results are never read in isolation. They're interpreted alongside

One more piece of a personalized picture, not a replacement for the conversation between us.

I see patients across the greater Minneapolis area, many of whom are managing multiple medications and want a clearer answer than trial and error has given them.

Every patient deserves care built around how their body actually works, not around averages. That's what brought me to this approach, and it's why it's become a core part of how I practice.

Learn more about Chad and his practice with the video below.

In most cases, yes. Pharmacogenomic testing is typically an eligible expense under both HSAs and FSAs when it's ordered as part of your care. For the full breakdown of how this works, see more information in the Health Over Wealth HSA/FSA article below.

What is pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing?
A genetic test that shows how your body is likely to metabolize and respond to certain medications, helping guide safer and more effective prescribing.

Is PGx testing right for everyone?
Not for every medication or situation, it's most useful where evidence-based gene-drug interactions are established.

Do I need to start a new medication to get tested?
No. PGx testing can also help explain why a current medication isn't working as expected.

I practice at True North Medical Care in Edina, Minnesota, and see patients throughout the greater Minneapolis area, including Bloomington, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, St. Louis Park, and Richfield.

If pharmacogenomic testing sounds like something that could help you stop guessing with your medications, I'd welcome the chance to talk it through with you. https://www.truenorthmedicalcare.org/

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Suzy Wraines | Founder, Centered Care Directory | Health Over Wealth in the US