Pharmacogenomic profile
How your genes affect the medicines you take. One sample, tested once, giving your prescribing doctor a reference they can use for life when choosing and dosing medicines.
A pharmacogenomic (PGx) profile reads the genes that control how your body processes many common medicines. It is done once, because your genes do not change, and it is priced at launch, once our laboratory agreement is signed; waitlist members see the price first. Either pathway applies: bring your own doctor's signed request, or have a KnowLuna doctor request it and explain the result in a 20-minute video consult. The report is written for your prescriber as much as for you.
What it measures
- CYP2D6: a liver enzyme gene involved in breaking down a large share of commonly prescribed medicines. Variants make people fast, normal, slow or very slow processors.
- CYP2C19: another liver enzyme gene, important for several medicines used for mood, stomach acid and blood clotting.
- CYP2C9: a liver enzyme gene affecting how quickly some anti-inflammatory, diabetes and anticoagulant medicines are cleared.
- SLCO1B1: a transporter gene that influences how some cholesterol-lowering medicines move into the liver, and the chance of muscle side effects.
- VKORC1: a gene affecting sensitivity to one class of blood-thinning medicine, read together with CYP2C9 for dosing.
- Other clinically actionable genes: additional genes with established prescribing guidance, covered by the laboratory's current panel.
Who it's for
Adults aged 18 and over who take, or are about to start, medicines whose effect and side effects are known to vary with genetics. Common situations include medicines for mood and anxiety, pain, acid reflux, cholesterol, blood clotting and some hormonal medicines, particularly where a previous medicine did not work or caused side effects at a standard dose. It is also useful for women who expect to be on several medicines over the years and want the information on file before it is needed.
What it does and does not tell you
A PGx profile tells your doctor how your body is likely to handle certain medicines: whether you clear them faster or slower than average, which can mean a standard dose is too much, too little, or that a different medicine in the same class may suit you better. For each gene, the report gives your result (for example "poor metaboliser" or "normal metaboliser") and lists the medicine groups where that result matters, with reference to published prescribing guidelines.
It does not tell you which medicine to take. Genetics is one factor among many, alongside your condition, other medicines, kidney and liver function, age, weight and history. It does not predict every side effect, does not cover every medicine, and does not test for disease risk or inherited conditions. Your prescribing doctor interprets the report and makes the decisions. A test is one input to a doctor's assessment, not a diagnosis on its own.
Gene table: what each gene affects, in plain words
| Gene | What it does | What a variant result can mean |
|---|---|---|
| CYP2D6 | Liver enzyme that breaks down many medicines for mood, pain, nausea and heart rhythm | Slow processors may build up higher levels at a standard dose; very fast processors may get little effect. |
| CYP2C19 | Liver enzyme for several mood, stomach-acid and antiplatelet medicines | Affects whether a standard dose reaches, overshoots or misses its intended level; for some medicines it affects whether they are activated at all. |
| CYP2C9 | Liver enzyme for some anti-inflammatory, diabetes and anticoagulant medicines | Slow processors may need lower doses; particularly relevant for one class of blood thinner. |
| SLCO1B1 | Transporter that carries some cholesterol medicines into the liver | Reduced function is linked to higher blood levels and a greater chance of muscle aches on standard doses. |
| VKORC1 | Target enzyme for one class of anticoagulant | Variants change sensitivity, so the dose your doctor starts with may differ. |
| Other actionable genes | Additional genes with established guidance, per the lab's current panel | Reported where a result changes prescribing advice. |
Results are reported as metaboliser or function categories rather than numeric ranges. Interpretation follows published guidelines and is updated as evidence grows.
Cost and turnaround
The profile is priced at launch, once our laboratory agreement is signed; waitlist members see the price first. Either pathway applies: bring your own doctor's signed request, or have a KnowLuna doctor request it and explain the result in a 20-minute video consult. It is self-pay and not Medicare-rebated. Because it is a genetic test rather than routine chemistry, results take longer than a blood panel: allow a few weeks from collection. It is done once; the genetic result does not expire.
When to do this test
- Any time. Genes do not change, so there is no cycle timing and no need to fast.
- Before starting a new medicine is the most useful moment, because your prescriber has the information when choosing. It remains useful at any point.
- Current medicines: keep taking everything as prescribed. Your genetic result is not affected by what you take, but some medicines block these enzymes, so bring your full medicine list; the doctor reads the report in that light.
- Bring your medicine list to the consult so the doctor can highlight the parts of the report that apply to you.
How it works
- Order online. Either upload the request your own doctor has signed, or a KnowLuna doctor reviews your questionnaire and requests the profile.
- Collect with the home swab or saliva kit we post you, or at an accredited (NATA) centre near you if you prefer (options below). One sample; no fasting, no timing.
- Results are ready in a few weeks, explained in your account as a report you can download and give to any doctor who prescribes for you, now or in the future.
Choose how you collect
Every option is the same accredited test and the same report. Pick what suits you at checkout; the fee, if any, is added to either pathway price.
The kit is posted to you with instructions and a prepaid return satchel. No blood, no appointment. Included.
A quick draw at an accredited pathology collection centre near you. Usually under ten minutes. Included.
Common questions
What is pharmacogenomic testing?
A genetic test that reads the genes controlling how your body processes and responds to medicines. It groups you as, for example, a slow, normal or fast metaboliser for each gene, and links that to medicine groups where the result changes the usual advice on choice or dose. Your prescribing doctor uses it alongside everything else they know about you.
Is pharmacogenomic testing covered by Medicare?
A broad pharmacogenomic profile like this one is generally not Medicare-rebated in Australia, so it is self-pay. Medicare does fund a small number of specific single-gene tests in defined situations, which your doctor can arrange separately if they apply to you. KnowLuna's price covers the test, the report and, with the doctor option, a consult.
How long is the result valid?
Your genetic result is for life, because the genes tested do not change, unless you have had a bone marrow, stem cell or liver transplant, in which case tell your doctor. What can change is the guidance that interprets them, as research adds new medicines to the list. Keep the report with your health records and show it to any doctor who prescribes for you; they can check current guidance against your unchanged result.
Can KnowLuna change my medication?
No. KnowLuna does not prescribe, stop, start or adjust medicines. The doctor explains what the report shows and which sections apply to your current medicines, and you take it to the doctor who prescribes for you. Any change is their decision. Do not alter how you take a medicine on the basis of a genetic report alone.
Is pharmacogenomic testing reliable?
The genotyping itself is highly accurate when performed in an accredited laboratory, and the prescribing guidance it draws on comes from international expert consortia and is used by Australian hospitals. Its limits are scope, not accuracy: it covers only the genes and medicines with established evidence, and genetics is one factor among several in how any medicine works for you.
Sources and further reading
- Pathology Tests Explained (RCPA): pharmacogenomics (PGx) testing
- Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC): guidelines
- Medical Genetics Summaries (NCBI): pharmacogenomic summaries
- Healthdirect: genetic testing
General information only, not medical advice. A test result is one input to a doctor's assessment, not a diagnosis on its own, and every abnormal result is followed up by a KnowLuna doctor. If your symptoms are severe or sudden, see a doctor promptly. Read our medical disclaimer.
Related
- Single tests and add-ons: the stage hub.
- Pharmacogenomic testing in Australia: what it is, who it helps and what it costs
- Glossary: pharmacogenomics and metaboliser types
- Reproductive carrier screening: KnowLuna's other genetic test.
Useful for life.