Long QT Syndrome Diagnostic Test Meets BCBS Criteria

February 5, 2008 - The FAMILION test for Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) has met the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Technology Evaluation Center’s (TEC) criteria for establishing the diagnosis of LQTS in certain individuals, representing another step toward personalized medicine.

TEC completed this assessment at its October 2007 Medical Advisory Panel meeting and posted it in online in January 2008.

In this assessment, Long QT genetic testing met TEC’s criteria for establishing the diagnosis of LQTS in two types of individuals: those who have a moderate to high pre-test probability of LQTS but do not fully satisfy the clinical criteria, as well as those who meet the clinical criteria for LQTS and have close relatives at-risk. In the latter instance, testing of the individual with LQTS is intended to inform genetic testing options for these relatives. In these populations, the FAMILION test was found to have a positive impact on net health outcomes and a positive diagnostic benefit compared to clinical diagnosis alone.

PGxHealth, a division of Clinical Data, a developer of targeted therapeutics and predictive tests using genetic biomarkers, produces TEC.

For more information: www.pgxhealth.com and www.clda.com