Published April 2025

Is Your Medication Working for You? Your DNA Could Hold the Answer

Did you know that between 50% and 70% of people are taking medications that aren’t as effective as they could be — or worse, are causing unwanted side effects? It’s a surprising fact, but it all comes down to something deeply personal: your DNA

Our genetic makeup plays a huge role in how our bodies respond to medicines. Some drugs work brilliantly for one person but have little to no effect on another. Some need careful dosage adjustments to be safe and effective, while others may lead to unpleasant side effects if your body struggles to process them properly.

At Concierge Medical, personalising your care is at the heart of what we do. That’s why we offer the Mantara Pharmacogenomic (PGx) DNA test — an innovative, saliva-based test that unlocks the unique way your body interacts with medications. With this simple test, we can guide your treatment choices more precisely, helping to improve outcomes and reduce risks.

Why consider Mantara PGx testing?

  • One test, 77 medications covered: Including common treatments for heart health, mental health, pain relief, and more.
  • Find the most effective medications for you: Your genetic profile reveals which medicines are most likely to work best.
  • Minimise side effects: Avoid medications that may cause adverse reactions based on your metabolism.
  • Get the dose right, first time: Ensure your prescriptions are tailored to how your body processes medication.
  • Lifetime value: Your genetic makeup doesn’t change, so this test provides guidance for life.

Personalised prescribing in action

We’ve already made personalised prescribing a reality for members. Using insights from the Mantara PGx test, we’ve been able to fine-tune medications to suit individual needs — helping to avoid side effects and improve outcomes.

For example, a patient experiencing muscle pain and fatigue while taking statins for cholesterol management discovered through testing that they metabolised certain statins poorly, leading to a build-up in their system and unwanted side effects. With this insight, we were able to recommend an alternative medication that kept their cholesterol under control, without the discomfort.

Similarly, another patient struggling with antidepressant treatments — either because they weren’t experiencing any benefit or were suffering from unpleasant side effects — gained clarity from the Mantara test. It revealed how their body processed these medications, enabling their doctor to prescribe an option better suited to their genetic profile, leading to improved symptom control and greater overall wellbeing.

The Mantara PGx test is a powerful step towards truly personalised healthcare. By understanding how your body responds to medications, you and your doctor can make safer, more effective choices — now and in the future.

If you’d like to learn more about how this test could benefit you, speak to your private Concierge Doctor or contact our reception team today. We’re here to help you find the right path to better health.

For more information about the Mantara test contact 01451 600900 or practice@conciergemedical.co.uk

#PrivateGP #ConciergeMedical #Mantara #YourDNA