When you have a mental health condition such as anxiety and depression, chronic pain, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or a neurological condition, finding the right medication can be tough. Sometimes it’s a process of trial-and-error. It may even involve unwelcome side effects.
Your genetics play a big role in how you respond to drugs. And now medicine has gotten more personalized. Treatment more precise. Your group benefits can help.
A lot of Canadians suffer from pain. Getting your wisdom teeth removed? Healing from a broken leg? Whether the pain is short-term or lasts a bit longer, drugs called opioids are a common way to treat it.
But you may have heard about the risks. Every day, more than 11 Canadians die from opioid misuse and overdose1. How can we make sure these drugs are taken safely?
We're here to help. If you or a family member are prescribed an opioid, we'll help make your experience a smooth one. That way, you can get back on your feet quickly and safely. And feel better.
Personalized Medicine uses advanced pharmacogenetic testing and pharmacist assistance to find the most effective medication for you.
If you’re starting a new medication for a mental health condition (such as anxiety or depression), chronic pain, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or neurological conditions – or taking a medication for one of these conditions and it’s not working or causing side effects – Personalized Medicine could help. It’s offered through your extended health care benefits plan, so the cost of the test may be covered. To see the list of drugs tested, click here.
It involves a pharmacogenetic test. This is a type of test that identifies how you may respond to medications. Your test results are only for you and anyone you give consent to share them with, such as your doctor. The test is run by Personalized Prescribing Inc., a Canadian company.
About the test
- cheek swab sample collection process with easy-to-follow instructions
- results in about 7 days – with pharmacist support for guidance and recommendations
- accuracy rate of 99.99%1
- secure and confidential2
This report shows which drugs are more likely to help and which may have side effects. It may also recommend changes to your medication. Your doctor can use these results to help prescribe the right drug for you at the right dose.
1 Personalized Prescribing Inc., FAQs.
2 Personalized Prescribing Inc. encrypts and stores your data on servers in Canada. These servers meet or exceed strict security standards. Personalized Prescribing Inc. protects your data by letting you control who can see it. At no point will Manulife have access to your individual results.
Your DNA contains the blueprint for all the proteins in your body, including enzymes. Enzymes are very important in how your body reacts to medicine. The activity level of these enzymes varies from one person to the next. This is one of the main reasons why a drug may work well for one person but have significant side effects for another.
By understanding your genetics, Personalized Prescribing Inc. aims to predict the activity level of the enzymes in your body and your brain. And this means Personalized Prescribing Inc. aims to determine how compatible your body may be to a particular drug.
Personalized Medicine can help people get the right medication earlier and get back to living a healthier life sooner.
Medication can help mental health issues and chronic pain. But some of these medications can cause adverse side effects. Others aren’t very effective for some people. Genetic differences can play a big role.
There are an estimated 200,000 severe adverse drug reaction in Canada each year, though it is estimated that 95% of adverse drug reactions are not reported. Each year, they cost the Canadian healthcare system between $13.7 and $17.7 billion each year and kill up to 22,000 Canadians.1
Over the past 2 years, we ran a Personalized Medicine pilot program. After getting their results, 44% of people in the program changed their medication or dosage.2 These changes led to better health outcomes.
The test may be covered for you and your family under your benefits plan. But there are a few rules for coverage. First, not all plans cover the test. You can check your benefits to find out if you are covered.
To check your coverage from the Manulife Mobile app, sign in to your account. Under Get care, select Medical Health, if you have coverage, the Personalized Medicine tile will display ‘Covered’.
To check your coverage from the plan member site, sign in to your account. Under Get care or Healthcare services (depending on your access), check for information about Personalized Medicine.
Second, you must have active extended health care coverage for it to be covered (e.g., if you opted out of extended health, the test would not be covered).
What conditions are covered by the test?
- a mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety
- chronic pain
- neurological conditions
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
When should you consider taking a test?
Consider Personalized Medicine if you are:
- starting a new medication, or
- taking a medication that isn’t working, or
- taking a medication that’s causing side effects
Before you order a test, we recommend speaking with your doctor.
Ordering your test kit
- Go to the Manulife personalized prescribing web page.
- Answer the eligibility questions.
- Pay for the test online. Be sure to save your receipt.
- Submit a claim to your group benefits. Include your receipt with it.
A pharmacist will reach out
Personalized Prescribing Inc. will have one of their pharmacists get in touch. The pharmacist will:
- help you fill out your consent form
- ask you about any relevant health history
- answer any questions you have
Taking the test
The test will arrive in the mail with instructions on what to do and how to send it back.
It takes about 7 days for you to get your results. Your results will be available through Personalized Prescribing Inc. online portal.
When your results are ready, Personalized Prescribing Inc. will email you. The email will explain how to sign in, see your results, and set up a call with a Personalized Prescribing Inc. pharmacist.
Results are confidential
These results are only for you, Personalized Prescribing Inc., and anyone else you give consent to share it with, such as your doctor. At no point will Manulife have access to your individual results unless you provided consent to share this information.
Helpful consultation
A Personalized Prescribing Inc. pharmacist can meet with you and your doctor or specialist to talk about results and treatment.
Follow-up
If you changed medications because of your test results, and you share this with your Personalized Prescribing Inc. pharmacist, they will be in touch with you. They’ll ask how you’re feeling and if you have any side effects.
How Personalized Medicine helps
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Frequently asked questions
Your test result may show that a change in your medication (dose or type of drug) could be suitable. So we strongly encourage you to share your results with your doctor. But you aren’t obligated to. Your version of the report won’t have any specific recommendations for changing drugs. These will only appear in the healthcare provider’s version. Only a doctor or pharmacist should make decisions related to changing medication.
Personalized Prescribing Inc. encrypts and stores your data on servers in Canada. These servers meet or exceed strict security standards. Personalized Prescribing Inc. protects your data by letting you control who can see it. At no point will Manulife have access to your individual results unless you provided consent to share this information.
At this time, your plan may cover the test for mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, chronic pain, neurological conditions, and ADHD. If you are interested in other Personalized Prescribing Inc. tests, you may talk to a Personalized Prescribing Inc. representative directly. They can discuss the cost with you.
Note that Manulife benefit plans won’t pay for other tests from Personalized Prescribing Inc.
No. Without your consent, Personalized Prescribing Inc. won’t share your individual results with anyone else. So, neither your employer nor Manulife will see them. Taking part in this program is voluntary. It won’t affect your current or future claims with Manulife.
1Why the war on opioids will be so hard to win. Globe and Mail, September 25, 2018.
2Opioids. National Institute of Drug Abuse, United States, June 2018.
3Prescription Opioids DrugFacts. National Institute of Drug Abuse, United States, June 2018.
4Prevalence of chronic pain among individuals with neurological conditions. Statistics Canada, March 2018.
5 CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain – U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, March 18, 2016.
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