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 MIAMI, Feb. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nicklaus Children's Hospital is the first children's hospital in South Florida to offer in-house pharmacogenomics testing with the Applied Biosystems™ PharmacoScan Solution* and GeneTitan MC Fast Scan Instrument*. As part of a growing precision medicine program, Nicklaus Children's now offers pharmacogenomics testing to provide more complete patient information to help clinicians enhance  treatment efficacy and reduce the risk of potential complications from drug interactions and side effects.

Pharmacogenomics testing uses a person's genetics to determine the most effective, safest medications and dosage. This information helps ensure that patients are prescribed medications that are the most effective and have the fewest potential side effects based on their individual genetic profiles. Combining pharmacogenomics test results with other information such as a patient's overall health, lifestyle factors and family history can help care teams determine a personalized treatment plan with the right medication and dosage for that individual.

Nicklaus Children's initially adopted the PharmacoScan Solution from Thermo Fisher Scientific for use in oncology, neurology, and polypharmacy. Care teams across the hospital automatically receive alerts to help guide treatment decisions if pharmacogenomics test information is available for a patient in their care.

Dr. Steven Melnick, PhD, MD, Chief of the Department of Pathology, and Dr. David Mancuso, Pharm. D, MSPM, Exc. Director of Pharmacy and Laboratory Services, emphasized the potential of pharmacogenomics in enhancing patient safety and outcomes. They highlighted its ability to identify individuals who would benefit from specific medications and those who might face potential harm.

Jennifer McCafferty-Fernandez, PhD, Senior Vice President, and Chief of Staff at Nicklaus Children's Health System, said, "At Nicklaus Children's, pharmacogenomics is integral to our vision for the future. Our long-term goal is to establish pharmocogenomic testing as the standard of care for all of our patients. This will ensure that children receive precision care that aligns with their genetic profile, offering each child the best possible care treatment and outcome."

The PharmacoScan Solution provides information on a comprehensive range of clinically relevant genes. Nicklaus Children's selected the technology because of its broad coverage and ability to quickly provide highly accurate, reliable results across the hospital's diverse patient population. In addition, the PharmacoScan Solution can be used cost-effectively at scale.

"We designed the PharmacoScan Solution as a targeted, reliable tool to help enable the development of scalable pharmacogenomics testing programs globally," said Kevin Lowitz, Vice President and General Manager, Microarray at Thermo Fisher Scientific. "We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Nicklaus Children's Hospital to advance their precision medicine program and improve patient outcomes."

*The Applied Biosystems™ PharmacoScan Solution and the GeneTitan MC Fast Scan Instrument are for research use only and not for use in diagnostic procedures.

About Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Where Children Matter Most
Founded in 1950 by Variety Clubs International, Nicklaus Children's Hospital is South Florida's only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, with approximately 850 attending physicians, including more than 500 pediatric subspecialists. The 307-bed hospital, known as Miami Children's Hospital from 1983 through 2014, is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine with many specialty programs routinely ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report since 2008. The hospital is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and since 2003 has been designated an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession's most prestigious institutional honor. For more information, please visit www.nicklauschildrens.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:  Rachel Perry Bixby, Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Rachel.Bixby@nicklaushealth.org, 305-898-9165

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SOURCE Nicklaus Children's Health System