Depression stands as the primary global cause of disability, affecting 18.1 percent of the American adult population, which translates to 40 million individuals annually. The Centre for Workplace Mental Health estimates that major depressive disorder imposes a yearly cost of at least $210.5 billion on the U.S. economy.
Despite these staggering figures, many individuals grappling with depression encounter challenges in accessing suitable treatment. Antidepressants, while a common option, often require 1-6 weeks to reach their full effectiveness. Additionally, intolerable side effects deter some patients, and many find the relief provided to be inadequate. A considerable number of patients must experiment with multiple drugs before finding one that works, or they have to switch medications when a previously effective drug loses its efficacy. Depression remission rates remain low, with only 11-30 percent of patients experiencing relief after a year of treatment.
Pharmacogenomics (PGx) has the potential to disrupt this frustrating scenario. A 2017 double-blind study revealed that PGx testing significantly enhanced the efficacy of antidepressants after 12 weeks. This improvement was particularly notable among patients who had previously received insufficient relief from 1-3 drugs.
Similar conclusions were drawn from research published in 2018. A randomised clinical trial involving 685 patients found that the PGx-guided treatment group achieved much higher remission rates (42 percent) compared to the control group (27 percent) at the 12-week mark. Furthermore, PGx-guided treatment proved more effective in reducing anxiety.