DNA addiction testing sounds like science fiction but there is already an opioid risk genetic profile test called the Proove Opioid Risk genetic profile test that can be used by physicians and patients. Some medical and addiction experts have questioned whether the testing is legitimate or how accurate the test results truly are though. Roswell Pain Specialists physician and addiction treatment specialist Dr. Damon Christian Kimes believes in this genetic testing, so much so that he provides it to all of his new patients. Others point out that the research and data from this testing has been supplied by the company’s own scientists and this data has not been independently confirmed.
When discussing the opioid risk genetic profile testing and DNA addiction testing with Atlanta news media Fox 5 Dr. Kimes explained “People often do not know what their genetics hold. What we will be able to do is look at the opioid risk index, we are going to be able to look at specific medications and how your body metabolizes or breaks down those medications. When you have that genetic DNA test right there … you can say this is in your genetic makeup, [and] we can act on it or avoid certain things because we know that this is something that we may have a problem with later on.” According to Proove, the company that provides the genetic testing, the opioid risk genetic profile has an accuracy rate of 92%, and the test determines whether the opioid dependency risk for the individual is low, moderate, or high.