Following successful pilot tests last year, Molecular You this week launched a consumer-facing preventive health solution in Canada.
The BC-based personalized digital health startup says that, from a single blood draw, patients can receive a comprehensive health assessment and a tailored action plan to help reduce disease risks.
Based on a new type of blood test that leverages Molecular’s expertise in biomarker analysis, the startup’s solution shows “over 50% average risk reduction for areas including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cognitive health” after following recommended interventions for three months, according to data from the company’s pilots.
In a world where pill stacks and surgeries create revolving doors within healthcare, Rob Fraser believes preventive solutions “are the answer to the unsustainable pressure on our healthcare system.”
“Our solution is the first of its kind in Canada,” claims the CEO, “and we’re looking forward to partnering with insurers, employers and healthcare providers to make Molecular You accessible to as many people as possible.”
Molecular You analyzes health risk across two dozen areas, including cognitive health, diabetes, and liver health. The platform then designs an action plan of precise lifestyle changes that can improve an individual’s health outcomes, confirmed a follow-up test four months later.
Genetic testing is common but limited in that it contributes less than 10% to a person’s chance of developing disease, suggests data from a study led by Dr. David Wishart, a chief scientist at Molecular You.
The paper, “Assessing the performance of genome-wide association studies for predicting disease risk,” challenges the assumptions of most genetic researchers and the claims of many consumer genetic tests.
According to Molecular You, if you want to know your health risks you should look at metabolite, protein, and microbe testing instead.
“Molecular You’s metabolomic and proteomic profiling allow you to monitor your health precisely and enable you to practice effective preventive healthcare,” believes Dr. Pieter Cullis, co-founder. “Unlike genetic testing, we can detect trends towards disease and suggest specific lifestyle changes to delay or prevent the disease from occurring.”
The company delivers its solution digitally through an online dashboard for data insights as well as a consumer-facing mobile app with video calling feature to offer additional support. Blood draws are carried out by a network of partner labs, including Dynacare in Ontario and DynaLIFE in Alberta, according to a statement from the startup.
Molecular You’s service is initially available in the provinces of Alberta, its home region of British Columbia, and Ontario.
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