KING OF PRUSSIA, PA — Genomind has been awarded a federal contract to support a new Defense Health Agency initiative aimed at improving how medications are prescribed to U.S. active-duty service members by integrating genetic insights directly into military medical records.
The project, titled “Implementing and Assessing Pharmacogenomics for U.S. Active-Duty Service Members,” is funded by Congress through the fiscal year 2024 Department of Defense Appropriations Act and will be carried out in collaboration with the Defense Health Agency’s Research & Engineering Directorate and its Clinical Genomics and Precision Medicine Office.
Under the agreement, Genomind will help pilot the use of pharmacogenomics, the study of how genes affect a person’s response to medications, within the Military Health System. A central focus of the effort is embedding genetic information into MHS GENESIS, the Department of Defense’s electronic health record, to guide prescribing decisions and reduce adverse drug reactions.
Project leaders said the initiative is designed to evaluate how genetic data can be captured, analyzed, and applied in real-world clinical settings to improve treatment outcomes for active-duty service members. By tailoring medication choices to an individual’s genetic profile, the program aims to limit trial-and-error prescribing and reduce complications that can affect health, readiness, and overall care delivery.
Genomind will provide consulting services and draw on its long-standing expertise in pharmacogenomics to guide both the assessment and implementation phases of the program across the Military Health System.
“Pharmacogenomics has the power to transform how we approach prescribing decisions for both mental and physical health,” said Daniel Dowd, Genomind’s chief clinical officer. He said the collaboration has the potential to improve safety and outcomes for service members while also lowering total healthcare costs.
Defense health officials said the partnership with the Clinical Genomics and Precision Medicine Office will be critical, particularly in ensuring genetic insights are effectively integrated into clinical workflows used by military providers.
The project also reflects Genomind’s broader mission to deliver actionable genetic insights that help clinicians personalize care and improve patient outcomes by reducing ineffective or harmful medication regimens.
The effort is sponsored by the Department of Defense under Other Transaction Number W81XWH-15-9-0001 through the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium. Additional information about MTEC is available at https://mtec-sc.org/.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.