ChromoCare's ChromALERTtm Detects Potential Drug Addiction Risk

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ChromoCare, a leader in precision healthcare through pharmacogenetics, is proud to announce the upcoming launch of ChromALERTtm.  ChromoCare specializes in understanding and identifying the genes that interact with specific drugs, ensuring that the proper medications and dosages will be prescribed at the onset of treatment. This testing is crucial to reducing adverse drug reactions (ADRs), subsequently lowering costs, reducing the number of ER and physician visits, and saving lives overall.  ChromALERTtm (Addiction Likelihood Evaluation Risk Tool) is a specialized genetic test and algorithm designed to help physicians reduce the risk of prescribing opioids to patients who are more susceptible to addiction. This approach brings a unique element of prevention to the fight against opioid addiction.

Addiction is a disease, and like diseases such as cancer and diabetes, there are genetic factors that affect how likely an individual is to get that disease. Over the last 15 years, genes have been identified that impact an individual's susceptibility to addiction. Clinical studies have shown direct correlation between genetic variants and hereditary addiction; it is estimated that 40-60% of addiction risk is influenced by a person's genetics. ChromALERTtm is a new pharmacogenetic test that identifies the particular genetic makeup or "variants" responsible for making an individual susceptible to addiction. With this simple lab test, physicians and patients will gain new insight that will give them the ability to avoid prescribing opioids to those with a genetic predisposition to addiction.

"Even when a drug metabolizes well, an individual can still be at risk for addiction," explains ChromoCare founder and president Jeff Garshon. "Prescription drug abuse is a growing concern in the United States, particularly because of the misconceptions some patients have that prescription drugs are safer than street drugs. Physicians can help reduce the risk of opioid addiction with a simple lab test that can help them better inform their patients of their addiction risk. ChromALERTtm will be a powerful tool for physicians and patients."

ChromoCare's scientific team has established a direct correlation between genetic variants and hereditary addiction. Specialized analysis can accurately determine when a patient will not benefit from opioids in general, as well as determine a genetic-based risk of addiction. These combined factors result in an informed treatment decision, as well as pain management decisions that reduce the likelihood of addiction.

"ChromALERTtm will save lives," says ChromoCare CEO Hugh Cathey. "Having access to genetic information about addiction risk revolutionizes how individuals are treated for pain management and addresses the opioid addiction crisis at its source."

Opioid addiction has become a national problem, leading the current administration to declare a national emergency. Recognizing that certain individuals are genetically predisposed to addiction is essential. ChromALERTtm is an innovative solution for delivering sophisticated, cost-effective outcomes.

About ChromoCare

ChromoCare is an emerging leader in the field of precision healthcare. Their team of acclaimed geneticists, with labs across the US, launched The Genetic Assisted Prescribing (G.A.P) Testtm to enable healthcare providers to replace the standard trial-and-error prescribing method with a more efficient, genetically informed treatment plan unique to each patient. The G.A.P Test is the most comprehensive drug compatibility test on the market. For more information about The G.A.P Test and ChromALERTtm, contact Jeff Garshon at [email protected] or 614-358-1498.

SOURCE ChromoCare