WHAT IS PILLCHECK?
Everybody responds to medications differently. Pillcheck helps your healthcare practitioner figure out which medications are the most effective for you based on your genetic makeup.
The Pillcheck test takes only minutes to complete at home and your personalized results are good over your lifetime! Even if you’re not taking any medications right now, you can use your results for the future.
THE BENEFITS FOR YOU
Find the right medication in the right dosage so you feel better, faster – Pillcheck helped over 70% of people in a recent program.
Peace of mind knowing that your current and future medications are right for you.
Improved treatment with less chance of adverse side effects.
Pillcheck is already being used by leading healthcare providers and company benefit plans. For more information on plan coverage, visit our reimbursement page.
Easily share your detailed results with your healthcare provider. Plus we create an easy-to-understand summary for you to review. See a sample report.
Pillcheck covers almost 70% of all prescription medications. Is my medication covered?
HOW IT WORKS
Pillcheck tests your DNA’s compatibility with up to 179 commonly prescribed medications.
1. Order your Pillcheck online
A sample collection kit, including a pre-paid return envelope, will be sent to your mailing address.
2. Submit your sample
Providing your cheek swab sample is easy, painless, and takes 5 minutes or less.
3. Access your results
The Pillcheck report is ready in 2-3 weeks and we’ll let you know when you can access it in your secure account.
4. Share your results with your healthcare practitioner
Your healthcare provider will help you make changes to your medications if necessary.
Pillcheck is an eligible medical expense for income tax deduction and may be
reimbursed through your private insurance or company benefits plan.
WHAT DO PEOPLE SAY ABOUT PILLCHECK?
My teenage daughter was suffering from depression and anxiety and had been prescribed two medications. I mentioned Pillcheck to my family doctor who initially didn’t believe such a thing even existed! When Pillcheck launched in our health plan, I signed my daughter up right away. Ultimately, we changed both medications my daughter was taking and she is doing much better on the new medications! I wish we’d had the Pillcheck report from the very beginning.
I’m so thankful to have gotten Pillchecks done for my whole family! It was reassuring to know that my son has a low risk of side effects to his prescription and so he was willing to give it a try. It’s been several months now and he is feeling so much better. As a mom, it gives me peace of mind knowing that my family has Pillcheck reports that we can refer to whenever the need arises.
HOW MUCH DOES PILLCHECK COST?
$499
Invest in feeling better, faster.
The Pillcheck Service Includes:
An advanced drug response test covering almost 70% of all prescriptions
Your personalized results report
A pharmacist’s review letter to share with your doctor
Ongoing updates to your report for new medication information
Free shipping
FAQ
Have questions? We’re happy to help.
A: Variations in your DNA determine the way you process medications—whether you will benefit from taking a medication, or if it may potentially cause negative side effects. Pharmacogenetics (PGx) is the study of inherited genetic makeup that affects your response to medications. Pillcheck identifies these variations to assess whether a medication is likely to be safe and effective and provides optimal dosage recommendations. The Pillcheck service includes the drug response test, a personalized report, and a pharmacist’s letter. Your report will list your body’s predicted response to all Pillcheck-covered medications and can be regularly updated.
A: The test is easy and painless. The kit consists of a swab, which looks like an oversized Q-tip, that you rub against the inner surfaces of both cheeks to collect a sample of cheek cells. DNA taken from cheek cells is just as viable as DNA from a blood sample. You only need to ensure that you do not eat, drink or smoke for at least one hour before collecting the sample. When your report and letter are ready, you will be notified by email that you can download them from your Pillcheck account. You can share them with healthcare practitioners of your choice.
A: To get the most out of Pillcheck, we include a review by a PGx-trained pharmacist, who will write a letter summarizing your results for your prescribing doctor. You may also share your report with a pharmacist of your choice.
A: You should continue taking your medications as prescribed, unless your doctor suggests otherwise.
A: View a full list of covered medications here. Pillcheck covers more than 178 commonly prescribed medications in several treatment areas, including cardiac and gastrointestinal conditions, mental health, pain management and oncology. Genetic testing for medications treating these conditions is recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), Health Canada, Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC), and Dutch Pharmacogenetics Working Group (DPWG).
A: Pillcheck provides proactive insights for your future medication needs even if your current prescriptions are not included. With Pillcheck, healthcare practitioners can better select medications matching your pharmacogenetic profile.
A: The Pillcheck test uses carefully selected genetic markers. It is optimized for enhanced sensitivity providing more accurate results for ethnically diverse populations, regardless of gender.
We test for genetic variations affecting liver enzymes, namely the CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2B6, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4/5 as well as in other genes affecting drug transport or metabolism including SLCO1B1, TPMT, DPYD, IL28B/IFNL3 and VKORC1.
A: The Pillcheck medication optimization service costs $499 (plus applicable taxes). Pillcheck is an eligible medical expense for income tax deduction and may be reimbursed through your private insurance or company benefits plan.
A: Pillcheck analyzes specific genes involved in drug metabolism—only a very small part of your DNA. Your informed consent is required for all tests that involve DNA collection in order to ensure that you understand the procedure and its limitations.
A: Pillcheck analyzes only the specific genes involved in drug metabolism and does not assess your risk for disease.
A: Health benefits and insurance companies may cover the cost of Pillcheck service as an optional benefit. Pillcheck results do not impact coverage decisions.
Pillcheck does NOT assess any genes related to disease risk or disease diagnostics and does not affect patients’ insurance. Only specific, well-identified DNA variations related to drug response are analyzed by Pillcheck. Once the test is complete, any remaining DNA is destroyed after 30 days.
For more details please refer to our Privacy Policy and Consent Form.
A: Individuals have full ownership and control over their Pillcheck test results. Personal data is not shared without prior authorization as described in the Informed Consent Form. Only the individual can decide who has access to the report and can revoke access at any time or request deletion of the information.
Privacy of genetic and personal data is protected by the Bill S201, HIPAA and PIPEDA regulations. Pillcheck service is fully compliant with these regulations. Except as expressly set forth in the patient’s Informed Consent, results will not be shared with any third party, including insurance company and employer.
For more details please refer to our Privacy Policy and Consent Form.
A: Only specific, well-identified DNA variations related to drug response are analyzed by the lab. This is analyzed and the results used to generate a personalized report listing your body’s predicted response to all Pillcheck-covered medications. Once the test is complete, any remaining DNA is destroyed after 30 days.
A: Drug response testing is not covered by provincial health plans because it is new to the market. Reimbursement will be determined once the demand for these services is assessed. If you have private insurance coverage, the test can be reimbursed through your Health Spending Account (HSA).
Pillcheck may be available to a person on a disability claim through his or her disability management provider. Studies have shown that pharmacogenetics can support recovery and the successful return to work.
✔ The disability case manager facilitates the Pillcheck requisition for the claimant, pays for the cost, and sends a copy of the Pillcheck Pharmacist Opinion Letter to the claimant’s physician.
✔ Pillcheck results are provided as additional insights to support a physician’s prescribing decisions. It is between the patient and the physician’s professional judgment how best to apply this information in the overall context of a patient’s medical conditions and history, and other medical data available.
✔ Pillcheck results have no impact on drug or disability insurance claims.
✔ Participation is purely voluntary and subject to the claimant’s informed consent.
✔ The case manager has access to the Pharmacist Opinion Letter summary and has no access to the claimant’s detailed genetic results. Data access is explained in the informed consent form.
The person on disability can contact his or her case manager to find out about eligibility for Pillcheck coverage.