New Genetic Innovation for Addiction Recovery & Prevention
SAN ANTONIO (PRWEB) February 21, 2018 -- The addiction treatment market has unfortunately not seen any truly innovative diagnostic advances in the past 20 years. Geneus Health plans to change that very soon with the launch of a revolutionary new Genetic Addiction Risk Score (GARS™) Test.
After over 40 years of research linking genetics to addiction, Dr. Kenneth Blum developed the GARS™ Test. The GARS™ Test has evolved from Dr. Blum's research coupling genetics and brain chemistry, which has been published in over 550 clinical articles, 6 different patents pending, and funding support from the National Institute of Health. The GARS™ Test will be the first genetic test to identify predispositions to addictive, impulsive, and compulsive behaviors, defined as Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS). RDS behaviors range from substance misuse to non-substance addictive behaviors including, but not limited to, addictions to prescription opioids, recreational drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, sex, gambling, online gaming, and food.
REWARD DEFICIENCY SYNDROME
Dr. Blum coined the term “Reward Deficiency Syndrome” to better explain the genetic function of all addictions in 1995. RDS is now featured as a recognized psychological disorder in the official SAGE Encyclopedia of Abnormal Psychology (2017).
RECOVERY MANAGEMENT
Over 110 million Americans are born with a genetic variant giving them a predisposition to addictive behaviors. In 2015, there were 14,500 addiction treatment facilities with a total of 2.5 million patients receiving treatment. Imagine if there was a test available that could provide more clarity about a person’s predisposition toward addictive behaviors, and those patients could be treated and managed more effectively. “The recovery treatment method could then be personalized for that patient, instead of the current ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach that is used today,” states Dr. Blum.
PREVENTION APPROACH
If we take the use of the GARS™ Test a step further, it could be used as tool for doctors treating or about to treat a patient with narcotics. The GARS™ Test can guide the physician on the best way to manage the patient’s treatment and/or medications. If a patient’s GARS™ score indicates they have a high predisposition to opioids, then a provider might want to start with a non-opioid medication. If there are no other alternatives and the patient must be prescribed an opioid, then the test would alert the physician that this patient should start with a lower grade opioid, for a shorter amount of time, and with more monitoring.
LOOKING FORWARD
The main goal of the GARS™ Test is to provide the healthcare provider and patient with personalized information so patients can be treated and managed more appropriately. “The opioid and addiction crisis in the U.S. has become a true epidemic. Our healthcare system and patients deserve better tools to help them in this battle, and Geneus Health looks forward to providing some of those resources,” says Justin Jones, CEO of Geneus Health.
Geneus Health will launch the GARS™ Test in March 2018. The GARS Test will be available at clinics, treatment centers, and hospitals that are certified partners of Geneus Health. The GARS™ Test will also be available online and administered through our certified tele-health partner.
ABOUT GENEUS HEALTH
Geneus Health, LLC is a genetic laboratory located in San Antonio, TX. Our mission is to provide the powerful science and technology created by Dr. Kenneth Blum, to improve addiction medicine and management for people everywhere.
To learn more about Geneus Health, please visit us at http://www.GeneusHealth.com. For more about Dr. Blum, please visit http://www.geneushealth.com/dr-kenneth-blum.
Erin Gallagher, http://www.GeneusHealth.com, 844-800-2334, [email protected]
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