Myths vs facts: Pharmakogenetik Medicheck and longevity

Pharmacogenetics examines how genetic variants affect drug response. A Medicheck test typically analyzes genes like CYP2D6, CYP2C19, SLCO1B1, or MTHFR. Evidence for clinically relevant dose adjustments is solid for some drugs (e.g., statins with SLCO1B1 variants), but extrapolating to 'longevity' is speculative. Longevity is determined by many factors – diet, exercise, environment, epigenetics – not by single drug-gene variants alone. Most DTC providers overstate the benefit: they rely on association studies with small effects or mechanistic hypotheses without longitudinal data. Some tests promote 'longevity scores' based on polygenic risk scores, whose predictive value outside the study population is low. Bottom line: pharmacogenetics can aid medication choice, but a direct effect on lifespan is unproven. The evidence is mostly mechanistic or marketing-driven. Beware of exaggerated claims.