What Should You Know About Personalized Medicine

Extended Health Care (EHC) - May 02, 2025

In today’s business landscape, the need of the hour is balancing employee benefits and escalating costs. Employee benefits enhance employee retention and attract top talent, which has a long-term positive impact on the company. In this ever-changing landscape, one of the newest advances is a Personalized Medicine Program (PMP).

At Wescan Insurance

We aim to provide our clients with cutting-edge group benefits plans that are tailored to maximize employee wellness and benefits. Think of PMPs as a strategic investment plan that helps improve workplace satisfaction and long-term health, ultimately leading to a significant increase in productivity.

The genetic makeup of individuals affects the efficacy of a medicine. Genetic variations in enzymes and brain receptors are one of the leading causes of this.

PMPs utilize genetic and lifestyle information to create personalized healthcare plans tailored to each individual’s specific needs and requirements. It uses data-driven solutions that help decide the medicine and dosage for greater efficiency in prescription medicine.

PMP works through a pharmacogenomics test. A pharmacogenomics test is a non-invasive procedure that typically involves collecting a cheek swab or saliva sample from an individual. This is a wide-spectrum test that aims to test for the maximum number of genes, reducing the need for a one-size-fits-all strategy, leading to improved health outcomes.⁴

Why invest in a plan that includes Personalized Medicine Programs?

Increase in employee health and productivity

PMPs are particularly effective for mental health and chronic conditions. Currently, 48% of Canadians¹ are experiencing at least one work-related mental health factor. In such situations, PMPs reduce the need for trial and error in medications. According to a study, 53% of people on treatment for mental health require changing medicine and within that dataset, 82% of people recover faster². By finding medicines that work more effectively, employees will likely experience faster recovery times and fewer side effects. By encouraging proactive care, employees can stay healthy, resulting in fewer sick days and reduced long-term absences.

In Canada, employers lose $16 billion³ in revenue due to health-related absenteeism. A group benefits plan that includes PMP would help your employees recover more quickly and return to work sooner, resulting in less revenue lost due to absenteeism.

Reduction in healthcare costs

Numerous studies have concluded that while the premium of PMPs might seem as an added initial expense, in the long run, it turns out to be cheaper for the company. Through better-suited medication, employees would visit the hospital less often, and less money would also be spent from expense accounts on ineffective medicines. Furthermore, your employees would also be safeguarded from adverse medication reactions, which could thoroughly impact individuals and their ability to work.

In conclusion, by reducing unnecessary treatments and improving care accuracy, your company could lower claims and therefore keep premiums more stable over time. Furthermore, PMP could help your company save up to $2400 per employee in the long run.

Improve recruitment and retention

In a recent study, 67% of employees⁵ stated that they would like to undergo pharmacogenomic testing. By offering PMPs, your company signals that it is responsive to this need and demonstrates to employees that you are invested in their future well-being, which can be a powerful differentiator for your company. Furthermore, it could also help attract health-conscious employees. This is particularly effective, as studies show that over time, an increasing percentage of workers are seeking more control over their health. Furthermore, PMPs allow doctors to provide education and guidance catered to specific individuals. As employees gain a better understanding of how their treatment plans work, they are more likely to act on the results, which in turn improves their overall well-being. Employee well-being plays an integral role in boosting overall productivity and increasing retention, which in turn impacts company profitability.

Strengthen data-driven initiatives

If employees choose to share their results, through data analysis and lifestyle data, results can be correlated with other technologies to improve the overall health of your workforce. Personalizing ways in which each individual can be healthier leads to a net positive effect company-wide, as fewer costs are incurred due to health-related absences.

Data privacy

Companies that run pharmacogenomics tests adhere to strict privacy and confidentiality laws. These safeguards ensure that data is protected, alleviating your employees’ concerns about unauthorized access. Furthermore, test results are only shared with the employee and would only be shared with doctors if the employee agrees to do so. This control would help gain trust in the program, demonstrating to employees that their health matters to you. This would help improve employee well-being through a measurable return on investment due to productivity gains.

Still Unsure?

In Canada, the average number of health-related absences per year is 9.3³ and the average duration of a mental health-related leave of absence is 65 days⁶. Illnesses are not easily preventable; however, PMPs can provide you with the resources to acquire a workforce that is healthier and more resilient, therefore reducing the loss in revenue from health-related absences