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This is Why “Evidence-Based” Is So Crucial

When you have questions about a gene test result, many people turn to the internet for answers. You may find a flood of information. Some information you find online is accurate; some is not. A lot of information online is placed there by commercial labs who are marketing to you or to your doctor. By their nature, these labs may have a bias toward how test results are interpreted. Some online “information” is really an opinion. This blog is set up to be a bias-free space.

Evidence-based practice is any practice that relies on published scientific evidence for decision-making. Evidence-based personalized medicine means looking at scientific evidence to interpret an individual person’s test results. We know that one-sized medicine doesn’t always fit. We now know a lot about how your genetics influences how your body breaks down medicines or how some medicines may act in your body. But honestly there is still a lot we don’t know, too!

The goal of evidence-based personalized medicine is to give you, the patient, information based on evidence, to help you make a choice about your care based on your values and preferences. I’m a clinical pharmacist practicing in Tennessee. I talk to a lot of people looking for better therapy options. I see a need to wade through the confusion and the conflicting information you may have found about gene tests and how to use the results. I post information from peer-reviewed evidence-based publications and clinical practice guidelines that have been vetted by experts. I debunk myths. I’m here to help you and your care provider make informed (evidence-based) choices. Knowledge is power.

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