Stop Prescribing by Trial and Error
One Buccal Swab. A Lifetime of Better Prescribing Decisions.
Two patients with the same diagnosis and the same prescription can have entirely different outcomes — one improves, the other has an adverse reaction or no response at all. Much of that difference is genetic. Pharmacogenomic testing reveals how an individual metabolizes medications, so the choice of drug and dose can be made on evidence rather than on a first guess followed by a series of adjustments. A patient's genotype does not change. Test once, and the result informs prescribing for the rest of their life.
Key Benefits:
Optimize drug selection and dosing based on individual genetic profile
Reduce the risk of adverse drug reactions
Shorten the path to an effective medication — less trial and error, fewer follow-up visits
One test, permanent result — genotype does not change, so the report never expires
Relevant across major therapeutic areas
Simple buccal swab — no blood draw, indefinite specimen stability
Covered by the majority of payers, including Medicare
Understanding Pharmacogenomics (PGx)
Why the Same Drug Works Differently in Different Patients
Pharmacogenomics is the study of how a person's genetic makeup influences their response to medication. Variation in the genes governing drug metabolism — how quickly a drug is broken down, activated, or cleared — determines whether a standard dose lands in the therapeutic range, sails past it, or never reaches it at all.
A patient who metabolizes a drug rapidly may clear it before it can work, and be labeled a treatment failure. A poor metabolizer given the same standard dose may accumulate it to toxic levels and suffer an adverse reaction. Neither outcome is predictable from the chart. Both are predictable from the genotype.
PGx testing identifies these variants, allowing physicians to select medications and doses matched to how the patient will actually process them — and to avoid, in advance, the drugs most likely to fail or to harm.
Benefits of PGx Testing:
Optimizes medication selection and dosing
Reduces risk of adverse drug reactions
Improves treatment efficacy and patient outcomes
Minimizes trial-and-error prescribing, saving time and costs
PGx-Guided Prescribing vs. Trial-and-Error Prescribing
Turning Trial-and-Error Into Precision Medicine
PGx-Guided Prescribing
- Drug and dose matched to the patient's metabolic profile from the start
- Known high-risk drug–gene interactions avoided before the prescription is written
- Fewer adverse drug reactions
- Shorter path to an effective medication — fewer switches, fewer follow-up visits
- One test result helps to inform future prescribing decisions for the patient
Trial-and-Error Prescribing
- Standard dose prescribed, then adjusted based on what happens
- Adverse reactions and non-response discovered only after the patient experiences them
- Each failed medication costs weeks of patient time and a return visit
- Particularly costly in psychiatry, where a trial can take six to eight weeks to evaluate
- The next prescriber starts the same process over again
Comprehensive PGx Panel Coverage
Optimizing Treatment Across a Wide Spectrum of Medications and Specialties
Our PGx test analyzes the genes that influence how patients respond to a broad range of medications, informing selection and dosing across major therapeutic areas. A full list of genes and medications covered is available to ordering providers upon request.
Our test informs prescribing across major therapeutic areas, including:
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- Cardiology • Dermatology • Endocrinology • Gastroenterology • Gynecology • Immunology • Infectious Disease
- Neurology • Oncology • Ophthalmology • Pain Management • Psychiatry • Urology
- Specimen Type: Buccal swab — no blood draw required
- Result Validity: Permanent — genotype does not change
Who Should Order PGx
When Trial-and-Error Is Slow and Costly, PGx delivers
Psychiatry and Behavioral Health. A high-yield application of PGx. Antidepressant trials take six to eight weeks to evaluate, and a patient may cycle through several before finding one that works. PGx can shorten that path considerably.
Pain Management. Opioid metabolism varies dramatically by genotype. A poor metabolizer gets no relief from codeine or tramadol; an ultra-rapid metabolizer is at genuine risk of toxicity from a standard dose.
Cardiology. Clopidogrel, warfarin, and statin response are all meaningfully genotype-dependent, with well-established, actionable drug–gene pairs.
Primary Care and Polypharmacy. Patients on five or more medications carry compounding interaction risk. A single PGx result can inform a multitude of current and future prescriptions.
Oncology. DPYD and TPMT variants carry serious toxicity risk with common chemotherapeutic agents — testing before treatment is increasingly standard of care.
Long-Term Care. Residents routinely carry the heaviest medication lists in medicine, and every new prescription compounds the interaction risk. A single buccal swab — no blood draw — yields a permanent result that can help inform medication decisions for the rest of the resident’s stay.
Pediatrics. Children are not small adults when it comes to drug metabolism. CYP2D6 status determines whether codeine is ineffective or dangerous, and guides ADHD and antidepressant selection. A genotype established in childhood never expires — the earlier the test, the longer it pays off.
Urology. Overactive bladder agents, alpha-blockers, and post-procedural pain medications all pass through genotype-dependent metabolic pathways. PGx tells you who will fail a standard dose before they do — not after.
Our Advanced Diagnostics Testing
The SoftCell Standard, Every Test, Every Time
At SoftCell, every test we run is backed by advanced, precision-engineered instrumentation, rigorously validated protocols, and a team that refuses to cut corners. Our experienced, expert team holds every result to strict quality assurance standards — because "close enough" isn't in our vocabulary. As a CLIA-certified reference laboratory powered by Doc Lab — the same team behind the science and development of our core reagents — we offer something most labs can't: tighter quality control, faster problem resolution, and technical support from the people who built the test.
Ordering Information
Effortless Access to Advanced Diagnostics
Ordering is simple, and results are delivered how you prefer: secure web portal, fax, or EMR integration. New accounts are set up fast, complete with kits, requisitions, and portal access. For any questions or assistance, our dedicated client services team is here to help. Contact us at info@SoftCellLabs.com or (503) 402-2505.
Experience the SoftCell Difference
Where Innovation Meets Clinical Excellence
Trust SoftCell for your reference laboratory needs and unlock the power of precise, personalized medicine. Our advanced testing can make a significant difference in your practice through improved patient outcomes and more efficient treatment plans. Work with a lab partner that actually answers the phone.