BRENTWOOD, Tenn., May 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Addiction Labs
of America, the laboratory division of American Addiction
Centers (NYSE: AAC), is in the early stages of developing a
pharmacogenetics test for cannabis and other cannabis products,
such as cannabidiol (CBD). It's estimated a quarter of U.S. adults
are taking some form of CBD, and a new study in the American
Journal of Psychiatry is now touting its potential benefits for
opioid use disorder.
"It's critical that we know how different people, based on their
genetic makeup, process or metabolize cannabis or CBD, and that's
information pharmacogenetic testing could tell us," said Dr.
Mark Calarco, Addiction Labs of
America CEO. "Right now, it's a guessing game of trial and error.
While there are many people who benefit both medicinally and
recreationally from cannabis products, we also know there is a
subset of the population who can become addicted to cannabis and
experience psychiatric symptoms, such as paranoia and
schizophrenia-like behavior."
To learn how pharmacogenetic testing is conducted at Addiction
Labs, watch AAC's YouTube video on the process.
Addiction Labs specializes in pharmacogenetics and already
offers testing on more than 150 prescribed medications, mostly in
the mental health arena. This information helps doctors prescribe
personalized medicine for those with substance use disorder and
co-occurring mental health conditions, ultimately improving patient
outcomes. The cannabis testing would be the first time the lab has
investigated the pharmacogenetics of a formerly illicit drug.
"Even with prescribed medications, we've found that 20% of the
patients we test, based on their genetic report, need to either
have their dosage adjusted or be on a different drug altogether,"
said Joe Olechowski, Addiction Labs'
supervisor of genetics research and development. "That's why this
type of testing is so important. There is no one-size-fits-all when
it comes to drugs, and in many states cannabis is already on the
medication list for some people. We should know how people are
reacting to it before we start prescribing it."
As the cannabis market and products like CBD continue to grow in
popularity, Dr. Calarco also cautions that it's unlikely CBD will
be the panacea for opioid use disorder that many are hoping.
"Based on my years of experience with cannabis products, I don't
believe CBD alone will be effective or potent enough to help the
majority of people with opioid use disorder. It will help some, but
we need more research to see the true impact. We are excited to be
on the forefront of this new trend in medicine."
About American Addiction Centers
American Addiction
Centers (NYSE: AAC) is a leading provider of inpatient and
outpatient substance abuse treatment services. We treat clients who
are struggling with drug addiction, alcohol addiction, and
co-occurring mental/behavioral health issues. We currently operate
substance abuse treatment facilities located throughout
the United States. These
facilities are focused on delivering effective clinical care and
treatment solutions. For more information, please find us at
AmericanAddictionCenters.org or follow us on Twitter
@AAC_Tweet.
Contact
Joy Sutton, 615-727-8407
jsutton@contactaac.com
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SOURCE American Addiction Centers