Choosing the right psychiatric medication is one of the most challenging aspects of clinical psychiatry. For many patients, the process involves weeks or months of trial and error — a medication is prescribed, it fails to help or causes difficult side effects, and the search begins again. This experience is not only frustrating — it adds a significant burden to an already difficult situation.
One clinically meaningful reason why a medication may not work — or may cause unexpected side effects — is individual genetic variation in drug metabolism. Your body may process a given medication too quickly, leaving it no time to work. Or too slowly, causing accumulation to levels that feel toxic at a standard dose. This is not a treatment failure. It is a biological fact — and one that can now be identified before the next medication decision is made.
At IsraClinic, pharmacogenetic testing is offered as a clinical decision-support tool within the psychiatric assessment process — reviewed and interpreted by a psychiatrist, in the context of the patient's full clinical history and individual circumstances.
The test analyses genetic variants across two clinically relevant categories:
Metabolic genes — determine how quickly your body processes specific medications. Variations here explain why a standard dose can feel overwhelming to one person and completely ineffective to another.
Receptor and response genes — reflect how a medication interacts with neurochemical systems in the brain, influencing both the likelihood of a therapeutic response and the profile of potential side effects.
Results are provided in a structured clinical report covering a broad range of psychiatric and neurological medications. For each medication, the report indicates whether it is expected to work within normal parameters, requires dose adjustment, or carries a heightened risk of adverse effects based on your individual genetic profile.
Testing is most clinically meaningful in the following situations:
Pharmacogenetic testing is a clinical decision-support tool. It is not a prescription, a diagnosis, or a guarantee.
It does not replace psychiatric assessment. It does not predict with certainty whether a medication will work. It does not eliminate the need for ongoing clinical monitoring. Combinatorial pharmacogenetic panels are an evolving field — the evidence base is growing and meaningful, but not yet absolute.
This is precisely why at IsraClinic, test results are always reviewed and interpreted by a psychiatrist — in the context of your full clinical history, current presentation, and individual circumstances. A genetic report without qualified clinical interpretation has no standalone medical value.
Step 1 — Psychiatric consultation. We assess your situation and determine together whether pharmacogenetic testing is clinically appropriate for you at this stage.
Step 2 — Test coordination. We arrange sample collection and submission to a certified laboratory. The sample is a simple, painless cheek swab.
Step 3 — Results. Typically returned within several working days.
Step 4 — Interpretation consultation. Your psychiatrist reviews the findings in the context of your case and adjusts the treatment plan accordingly. Digital prescriptions are issued through the Yarpa system where indicated.
IsraClinic works with internationally certified laboratories operating at the highest standards of clinical genetic diagnostics. Sample collection can be coordinated locally in Tel Aviv or remotely, depending on your location.
IsraClinic accepts patients for in-person consultation in Tel Aviv and online, in English, Russian and Hebrew. No referral is required.
Clinical Reviewer: Dr. Mark Zevin, MD — Senior Psychiatrist | IsraClinic | Last reviewed: 2026
Pharmacogenetic testing can help explain why previous treatments have not worked — and guide the next clinical decision. To find out whether testing is appropriate in your case, contact us in English, Russian and Hebrew.