New Technologies for Veteran Mental Health Treatments Available

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 31, 2022
CONTACT: press@iava.org

New York, NY – Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA),  the leading voice of the post-9/11 generation of veterans is proud to announce its new partnership with Myriad® Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYGN), a leading genetic testing and precision medicine company.  The company offers the GeneSight® test to help inform clinicians about how a patient’s genes may impact how they metabolize and/or respond to certain medications commonly prescribed for depression, anxiety, ADHD and other psychiatric conditions.

“Partnerships like this prove that our mission is more important now than ever and drives home that veterans are an investment, not a charity,” said Hannah Sinoway, Chief of Staff for IAVA. “Mental health and suicide prevention have been top priorities since IAVA’s founding, and we are grateful for Myriad’s commitment to IAVA and our members and look forward to building an increased and long-lasting partnership into the future.”

“We are committed to getting veterans the mental health help they need and are honored to partner with IAVA to raise awareness of this critical issue,” said Fred Fantazzia, general manager, Myriad Mental Health. “Clinicians and healthcare providers treating veterans suffering from depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric conditions have additional options to help inform treatment decisions.  A recent study conducted by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), showed that major depressive disorder (MDD) remission rates were significantly improved when clinicians had access to the GeneSight test over 24 weeks compared to treatment as usual. We are excited that genetic tests like GeneSight may be an important part of the solution.”

The GeneSight Psychotropic test from Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYGN) 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 ordered for more than 2 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. 

IAVA is the voice for the post-9/11 veteran generation. With over 425,000 veterans and allies nationwide, IAVA is the leader in non-partisan veteran advocacy and public awareness. We drive historic impacts for veterans and IAVA’s programs are second to none. Any veteran or family member in need can reach out to IAVA’s Quick Reaction Force at quickreactionforce.org or 855-91RAPID (855-917-2743) to be connected promptly with a veteran care manager who will assist. IAVA’s The Vote Hub is a free tool to register to vote and find polling information. IAVA’s membership is always growing. Join the movement at iava.org/membership.

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