Articles

Which fibromyalgia treatments work best? Duloxetine helps most with pain, amitriptyline with sleep and fatigue, and exercise is the first step. Learn how your genes affect these medications and their side effects.

Only about one in three people with depression reach remission with their first antidepressant. Learn how pharmacogenetics works and what a Canadian randomized clinical trial found: Pillcheck-guided therapy improved depression, anxiety and disability about twice as much as...

Long COVID can cause fatigue, breathlessness, a racing heart, pain, poor sleep, depression and anxiety for months after infection. There is no single cure, so treatment focuses on symptoms, often with several medications at once. Learn which medications...

A study involving Pillcheck in four long-term care homes found that 80% of older residents take two or more medications that can be tailored to their genetics, showing how pharmacogenetics can prevent side effects in elder care.

How do 21 antidepressants compare on effectiveness and side effects? We review Canadian guidelines and a major Lancet study, and explain how CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 genes can guide the choice of antidepressant and dose.

Can't tolerate an SSRI for anxiety? Learn which other medications Canadian guidelines recommend for generalized anxiety disorder and how pharmacogenetic testing helps choose the right one and the right dose.

Many people use cannabis for chronic pain, sleep or nausea. Learn what research shows about cannabis for pain, who should avoid it, how it interacts with other medications, and how genes such as CYP2C9 and CYP2D6 affect cannabis...

Which blood pressure medication is best for you? Learn how the main types work, why the 2025 Canadian guidelines recommend starting most people on two medications in one pill, which side effects to watch for, and how genes...

Detrol (tolterodine) treats overactive bladder, but in people who break it down slowly because of the CYP2D6 gene, more of the drug can reach the brain and disturb sleep. Learn which bladder medications are better options, why older...

Every medication carries some risk, and antidepressants are no exception. Learn why finding the right antidepressant can take time, which side effects are common and which are serious, how to lower the risk of side effects, and how...

Why does a medication help one person but cause side effects in another? Learn how your body absorbs and breaks down drugs, what star alleles such as *1, *2 and *17 mean in your test results, how they...

Side effects lead many people to stop Zoloft (sertraline) or Zyprexa (olanzapine), which can lead to relapse in psychotic depression. Learn why continuing treatment matters, how to manage side effects, and how genes can guide the dose.

Why does Advil work better for some people and Tylenol for others? Learn how the CYP2C9 gene affects ibuprofen and other NSAIDs, how Tylenol is processed differently, and when a pharmacogenetic test can help.

Can a genetic test help you find the right psychiatric medication? Learn the two types of pharmacogenetic tests, what CPIC recommends about CYP2D6, CYP2C19 and CYP2B6, and how a pharmacist medication review helps put results into practice.

Pillcheck was one of four winners of Arthritis Society Canada's 2023 Arthritis Ideator Awards. Our project showed that pharmacogenetic testing helps people taking NSAIDs and some non-biologic DMARDs, that reliable genetic predictors for biologics are still missing, and...

No medication treats the core features of autism, but some help with irritability, hyperactivity, anxiety, sleep and seizures. Learn how genes such as CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 affect these medications and how DNA testing can guide safer choices.

Can supplements help depression and anxiety? Learn what Canadian guidelines say about St. John's wort, L-methylfolate, SAM-e, omega-3, saffron, lavender and probiotics, which ones interact with antidepressants, and how to use them safely.

Antidepressants can affect weight, cholesterol and blood sugar. Learn what large studies show, how your genes may play a role, and practical steps you and your doctor can take to lower the risk.

Statins prevent heart attacks and strokes, and genetic and population studies suggest they may also lower cancer risk. Learn what the evidence shows, which alternatives exist, and how genetic testing helps reduce side effects.

Psychotherapy and antidepressants work about equally well for depression, and many people do best with both. Learn what guidelines suggest trying first, why therapy after medication lowers the risk of relapse, how to stop antidepressants safely, and how...