HomeNews & PressOnly 8% of people remain hopeful after depression medication fails them, according to GeneSight® Mental Health Monitor nationwide survey Only 8% of people remain hopeful after depression medication fails them, according to GeneSight® Mental Health Monitor nationwide survey September 8, 2021News & Press Only 8% of people remain hopeful after depression medication fails them, according to GeneSight® Mental Health Monitor nationwide survey SALT LAKE CITY, September 8, 2021 – Depression medication trial and error is far too common – and may result in additional mental health challenges. When people with depression take a medication that does not help them, they reported feeling frustrated (80%), angry (32%) or scared (30%) according to the GeneSight® Mental Health Monitor from Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYGN), a leader in genetic testing and precision medicine. The nationwide survey found that only 8% of people with depression remain hopeful after a depression medication fails them. Additionally, more than half of people diagnosed with depression reported that they have tried four or more depression medications in their lifetime, the nationwide poll found. “Finding an effective depression medication on the first try can be extremely difficult,” said Gus Alva, M.D., distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Board of Geriatrics. “The GeneSight Mental Health Monitor survey showed that patients often experience a multitude of negative emotions after medication failure, which can impact their willingness to try other medication options.” More than 70% of those diagnosed with depression think it takes weeks or even months to find a medication that works, according to the survey. “Imagine having bronchitis and waiting months to know if the medication prescribed is working. That’s months of coughing, shortness of breath and feeling sick,” said Mark Pollack, M.D., chief medical officer for Mental Health at Myriad Genetics. “Yet, that’s what people with mental health problems deal with when trying to find medication that helps them – months of negative thoughts, physical symptoms and emotional turmoil.” When a doctor prescribes a medication for conditions other than depression, 80% of people without depression are confident it will work. Yet, only 61% of people with depression feel confident that the depression medication their doctor prescribes will work for them, according to the poll. Genetic testing may help As previously reported by the GeneSight Mental Health Monitor, seven in 10 people with depression would feel “hopeful” if their doctor recommended genetic testing as part of their treatment plan. “Not everyone’s metabolism is the same. If you are a fast metabolizer of a medication, you may need a higher dose; if you are a slow metabolizer of a medication, you may need a lower dose,” said Dr. Pollack. “Genetic testing, like the GeneSight test, might be the missing piece of the puzzle for clinicians, providing them information they couldn’t get by just examining the patient.” For more information on how genetic testing can help inform clinicians on depression treatment, please visit GeneSight.com. About the GeneSight® Mental Health Monitor The GeneSight Mental Health Monitor is a nationwide survey of U.S. adults conducted by ACUPOLL Precision Research, Inc. in March 2021 among a statistically representative sample of adults age 18+, including a representative sample diagnosed with depression. The margin of error in survey results for the total base population at a 95% confidence interval is +/- 3%. About the GeneSight® Test The GeneSight Psychotropic test from Myriad Genetics is the category-leading pharmacogenomic test for 64 medications commonly prescribed for depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other psychiatric conditions. The GeneSight test can help inform clinicians about how a patient’s genes may impact how they metabolize and/or respond to certain psychiatric medications. It has been given to more than 1.5 million patients by tens of thousands of clinicians to provide genetic information that is unique to each patient. The GeneSight test supplements other information considered by a clinician as part of a comprehensive medical assessment. Learn more at GeneSight.com. About Myriad Genetics Myriad Genetics is a leading genetic testing and precision medicine company dedicated to advancing health and wellbeing for all, empowering individuals with vital genetic insights and enabling healthcare providers to better detect, treat and prevent disease. Myriad discovers and commercializes genetic tests that determine the risk of developing disease, assess the risk of disease progression, and guide treatment decisions across medical specialties where critical genetic insights can significantly improve patient care and lower healthcare costs. For more information, visit the company’s website: www.myriad.com. Myriad, the Myriad logo, BART, BRACAnalysis, Colaris, Colaris AP, myRisk, Myriad myRisk, myRisk Hereditary Cancer, myChoice, myPlan, BRACAnalysis CDx, Tumor BRACAnalysis CDx, myChoice CDx, Vectra, EndoPredict, Prequel, Foresight, GeneSight, riskScore and Prolaris are trademarks or registered trademarks of Myriad Genetics, Inc. or its wholly owned subsidiaries in the United States and foreign countries. Media Contact: Sharvari Dayal (330) 354-7150 Sharvari.Dayal@myriad.com Investor Contact: Foster Harris (919) 998-8379 Foster.Harris@myriad.com Patient Hints To Help You Have A Better New Year The holidays have ended, and a new year has begun—a time when many embrace a fresh start by setting New Year’s resolutions. This year, why not consider s... Read more Patient Movement as Medicine: Solutions for Anxiety Moving forward. It sounds like a nice idea, especially when you’re feeling stuck deep in the throes of an anxiety spiral. But it turns out that physically m... Read more Patient Weight-Loss Drugs and Mental Health: What You Need to Know New medications for weight loss seem to be flying off pharmacy shelves these days. But could they be linked to mental health conditions? Researchers are ... Read more Patient 3 million patients (and counting!) have now taken the GeneSight test! We’re thrilled to share that 3 million patients (and counting!) have now taken the GeneSight test! 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Patient Hints To Help You Have A Better New Year The holidays have ended, and a new year has begun—a time when many embrace a fresh start by setting New Year’s resolutions. This year, why not consider s... Read more
Patient Movement as Medicine: Solutions for Anxiety Moving forward. It sounds like a nice idea, especially when you’re feeling stuck deep in the throes of an anxiety spiral. But it turns out that physically m... Read more
Patient Weight-Loss Drugs and Mental Health: What You Need to Know New medications for weight loss seem to be flying off pharmacy shelves these days. But could they be linked to mental health conditions? Researchers are ... Read more
Patient 3 million patients (and counting!) have now taken the GeneSight test! We’re thrilled to share that 3 million patients (and counting!) have now taken the GeneSight test! We're so grateful to the dedicated healthcare providers who... Read more
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Healthcare Provider How Clinicians Can Help Support Their Patients Who Are Being Bullied How Clinicians Can Help Support Their Patients Who Are Being Bullied Acts of bullying can cause feelings of fear, loneliness and sadness, as well as depressi... Read more
Patient Cyberbullying: Unique Challenges and Impacts ‘We lost our daughter to cyberbullying.’ McKenna Brown was an accomplished hockey player and scholar, known for her kindness, when she became the target of int... Read more
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Healthcare Provider Top 5 Reasons Patients Stop Their Mood Disorder Treatment Mood disorder treatment for depression can be challenging – and patients may become frustrated when treatments don’t work. In fact, when people with depres... Read more
Patient The Impact of Gratitude on Depression and Anxiety “Say ‘Thank you,” a mother reminds her young kiddo. “T.G.I.F.!” we cheer at the end of a long week. We know it’s important to be thankful. But do we ... Read more
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Patient How to Talk to Your Doctor about Anxiety Medication “When I was 27, I felt bad all the time,” writes Joanna Goddard on the popular Cup of Jo blog. She describes her initial experience with anxiety in detail. ... Read more
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