Pillcheck launches a pharmacogenetics program for benefits advisors after positive results in depression and anxiety

Pillcheck has launched a program that gives benefit plans and benefits advisors access to its pharmacogenetic (PGx) medication management service. The program builds on the use of Pillcheck by insurers seeking to reduce the frequency and duration of short-term and long-term disability claims, and follows a randomized controlled trial in which Pillcheck-guided care improved outcomes for people with depression and anxiety.

What does the program offer benefit plans and advisors?

Pillcheck, developed by GeneYouIn, combines DNA analysis from a simple cheek swab with an online medication review by expert pharmacists. Through the program, the same rigorously evaluated, secure service is available in two ways:

• For benefit plans: a subscription with utilization-based billing, so plans pay only for the tests their members actually use.
• For individuals: a private purchase at a discount.

GeneYouIn has also built customizable enrollment connectivity to support advisors and brokers, who work across carriers that use different standards and terminology. The Pillcheck service is eligible for reimbursement through Health Care Spending Accounts and may qualify for coverage as part of the management of a disability claim.

What did the study show?

The program follows the results of a randomized controlled trial of Pillcheck in three Canadian community pharmacies, published in Clinical and Translational Science in 2021. The trial included 213 adults with depression and/or generalized anxiety who were not satisfied with their antidepressant. In both groups, pharmacists reviewed medications and sent recommendations to the prescriber; in one group, they also used the Pillcheck report. The study was designed and run by independent researchers; GeneYouIn supplied and analyzed the tests but had no other involvement.

Dr. Ruslan Dorfman, founder and Chief Scientific Officer, commented: “The pharmacist communicated recommended changes to the prescriber in both arms of the study. Prescribers were able to accept, decline, or disregard these recommendations. Patient-reported outcomes were assessed at Month 0, 1, 3, and 6. The study revealed that the outcomes for depression, anxiety and disability were almost two times greater in the Pillcheck group compared with the control group.”

Over 6 months, compared with standard care:

• Depression improved by 36%, compared with 18%.
• Anxiety improved by 41%, compared with 23%.
• Disability, meaning how much symptoms interfered with work, social and family life, improved by 44%, compared with 18%.
• Prescribers accepted 75% of pharmacist recommendations based on genetic results, compared with 53% without them.

Read more about the trial in randomized trial: Pillcheck-guided pharmacist care improved depression and anxiety, and about another CAMH clinical trial of pharmacogenetics for severe depression.

Why does this matter for benefit plans?

For plan members with depression or anxiety, finding an antidepressant that works can take several attempts. Each failed attempt can mean weeks of ongoing symptoms, time away from work and additional drug costs. Pharmacogenetic testing helps prescribers choose a medication and dose that suits a person's genes from the start.

“Studies that approximate treatment as it occurs in the real-world are crucial to making decisions about which digital products are worth investing in to support plan members and their families as well as assist in decreasing drug claims costs for plan sponsors. It is time to integrate advanced and more personalized services into the benefit plan design”, said Gil McGowan, an advisor with over 35 years' experience in the industry's complex system of insurance carriers, benefits brokers, agents and related stakeholders.

Read more in pharmacogenetic testing may improve drug treatments and shorten disability leaves and the role of pharmacogenetics for the benefits sponsor community.

How can a Pillcheck test help plan members?

With Pillcheck, a pharmacist reviews each member's results together with all of their current medications, accounts for drug-drug-gene interactions and prepares recommendations to share with their prescriber. Pillcheck is a medication passport for life: because DNA does not change, the test does not need to be repeated, and Pillcheck notifies members when an updated report is posted.

Pillcheck testing is performed in CAP- and COLA-accredited clinical genetic laboratories located in Canada. Pillcheck reports on 24 genes, increasing coverage with new guidelines and drug labels (see the genes tab), and covers 355 medications, which account for over 70% of dispensed prescriptions. The Pillcheck test panel ensures high accuracy for people of non-European and admixed ancestries. Your results last a lifetime, and report updates are free of charge.

How can advisors learn more?

Contact advisors@pillcheck.ca to find out more about the program. For media and partnership inquiries, contact Veronika Litinski, CEO, at veronika@pillcheck.ca.

Summary

• Pillcheck's program gives benefit plans access to pharmacogenetic medication reviews with utilization-based billing, and individuals a discounted private purchase.
• In a randomized trial, Pillcheck-guided pharmacist care improved depression, anxiety and disability about twice as much as standard care.
• Pillcheck is eligible for Health Care Spending Account reimbursement and may qualify for coverage as part of disability claim management.

Frequently asked questions

How are benefit plans billed for Pillcheck?

Plans subscribe to the program and are billed based on actual utilization, so they pay only for the tests their members use.

Was the Pillcheck study independent?

Yes. The trial was designed and run by independent pharmacists and researchers. GeneYouIn, Pillcheck's developer, supplied and analyzed the tests and had no other involvement.

Can Pillcheck be paid for through a Health Care Spending Account?

Yes. The Pillcheck service is eligible for reimbursement through Health Care Spending Accounts.

About GeneYouIn and the Pillcheck service

GeneYouIn brings precision medicine to public and private health plans. It has commercialized Pillcheck^TM, a genomics-guided personalized medication management service that helps predict how medications will work for each person, limit potential side effects and help people feel better sooner. Pillcheck's platform connects healthcare providers and consumers while reducing exposure to unnecessary costs for payers.

References

Papastergiou J, Quilty LC, Li W, et al. Pharmacogenomics guided versus standard antidepressant treatment in a community pharmacy setting: A randomized controlled trial. Clin Transl Sci. 2021;14(4):1359-1368.