New GeneSight ® Mental Health Monitor Reveals 88% of Patients with Depression and/or Anxiety Would Feel More Confident with a Personalized Mental Health Care Plan
New GeneSight ® Mental Health Monitor Reveals 88% of Patients with Depression and/or Anxiety Would Feel More Confident with a Personalized Mental Health Care Plan
NEW YORK, June 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mental health care is essential to overall well-being, yet in a world where everything from entertainment to shopping is tailored to individual preferences, many patients with depression and/or anxiety say mental health medication treatment still feels one-size-fits-all. Recently, Dr. Crystal Nelson, a board-certified psychiatrist and paid spokesperson for Myriad Genetics, conducted a satellite media tour in partnership with D S Simon Media to discuss findings from the latest GeneSight Mental Health Monitor and explain how tools like the GeneSight Test are helping clinicians and patients make more informed, personalized treatment decisions.
As more patients speak up about the frustrations of trial-and-error mental health medication treatment, important questions are emerging about what personalized care really looks like and how genetic testing fits in. Here are some of the top questions and expert insights from Dr. Crystal Nelson:
Why is personalization so important in mental health care today?
Mental health care is highly individualized by nature, yet many patients are not experiencing it that way. “What we know works for one person just simply may not work for another person,” Dr. Nelson said.
The latest GeneSight Mental Health Monitor, a nationwide survey from Myriad Genetics, Inc., bears this out: 41% of those diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety and currently taking mental health medication say treatment feels “one-size-fits-all,” rising to 74% among those still searching for a medication that works for them. More than half of patients diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety feel the healthcare system treats them like part of an assembly line rather than as individuals.
At the same time, 88% of patients with depression and/or anxiety say they would feel more confident if their treatment plan were more personalized, and nearly three-quarters of the same group say personalization would make them more likely to stay committed to a prescribed medication. “If we can begin to customize and tailor this approach, we can have much more informed conversations and hope to get overall better treatment experiences,” Dr. Nelson said.
How can tools like the GeneSight Test help inform treatment decisions and potentially reduce the medication trial-and-error process?
For many patients, finding the right mental health medication can be a lengthy and uncertain process. Only 13% of those diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety who took mental health medication previously report that the first medication they tried worked for them.
The GeneSight Test was developed to help address exactly that challenge. “It is just a simple cheek swab test that a clinician can order that can give them information about how the patient’s genes might actually impact the patient’s medication outcomes,” Dr. Nelson explained. The GeneSight Psychotropic Test from Myriad Genetics is the category-leading pharmacogenomic test covering more than 60 medications commonly prescribed for depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other psychiatric conditions. “As a clinician, these findings reflect what I see in my practice every day,” Dr. Nelson said. “The GeneSight Test adds additional information to support clinical judgment and have more meaningful, collaborative conversations about personalizing their mental health care.” Notably, nearly two-thirds of respondents were unaware that genetic testing could help inform mental health medication decisions, and after learning about it, more than half said they would have preferred their provider to offer it as part of their care.
What conversations should patients be having with their providers if they feel their mental health treatment plan isn’t working for them?
Dr. Nelson is clear that patients should never attempt to stop or adjust their medication without first having an informed conversation with their healthcare provider. But she is equally clear that patients should feel confident speaking up. “Patients hopefully should feel empowered to communicate to their clinician if their medication treatment plan is not working for them or is less than desirable,” she said.
For those who find that conversation difficult, GeneSight.com offers a clinical discussion guide designed to make it easier to start that dialogue with a provider.
Patients can speak directly with their primary care provider or psychiatrist and ask about the GeneSight Test. For more information, resources, and the clinical discussion guide to help start the conversation with a provider, visit GeneSight.com.
Bio: About Dr. Crystal Nelson: CEO & Board-certified Psychiatrist
Dr. Crystal Nelson is a highly esteemed Board-certified Psychiatrist, Published Author, National Speaker, and the Founder and CEO of Blueprint Psychiatry – a mental health and wellness center offering a full range of psychiatric services in Newnan, GA. With over 17 years of psychiatric experience, Dr. Nelson received The 2023 Atlanta Top Doc Award in Psychiatry from her peers in healthcare. She has worked in various settings, including inpatient and outpatient psychiatric facilities. She is passionate about educating her clients about mental health and empowering them in the healing process. Dr. Nelson received her Bachelor of Science degree from Spelman College in Atlanta, GA, and her Doctorate of Medicine degree from Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA, where she received the distinguished Arthur Pruce Award. She completed her General Psychiatry Residency at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, and went on to obtain specialty residency training in Geriatric Psychiatry at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Nelson is a paid consultant of Myriad Genetics.
About the GeneSight Mental Health Monitor
The GeneSight Mental Health Monitor is a nationwide survey conducted online by ACUPOLL Precision Research, Inc. between February 23 — March 6, 2026, among a representative sample (n=1002) of U.S. adults age 18+. The margin of error in survey results for the total base population at a 95% confidence interval is +/- 4%. A nationally representative sample of adults aged 18 years or older was recruited and balanced to match U.S. Census quotas across five primary metrics (i.e., age, gender, income, education and ethnicity). In addition to the nationally representative sample, a statistically reliable sample was achieved of respondents who were self-reported as being diagnosed by a medical professional with depression or anxiety. ACUPOLL has more than 30 years of experience conducting statistically valid research through careful recruiting and quality control measures.
About the GeneSight Test
The GeneSight Psychotropic Test from Myriad Genetics is the category-leading pharmacogenomic test for more than 60 medications commonly prescribed for depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other psychiatric conditions. The GeneSight test may help inform clinicians about how a patient’s genes may impact how they metabolize or respond to certain psychiatric medications. The GeneSight test supplements other information considered by a clinician as part of a comprehensive medical assessment. Learn more at GeneSight.com.
About Myriad Genetics
Myriad Genetics is a leading molecular diagnostics and precision medicine company committed to advancing health and well-being for all. Myriad Genetics develops and commercializes molecular tests that help patients and providers uncover genetic insights. Our tests assess the risk of developing disease or disease progression and guide treatment decisions across medical specialties where molecular insights can significantly improve patient care, support earlier detection, enable more precise treatment and contribute to lowering healthcare costs. For more information, visit myriad.com.
Myriad Genetics Safe Harbor Statement
This pitch contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding how the GeneSight Test can offer genetic insights to help inform care, so patients can feel more confident in their treatment journey. These “forward-looking statements” are management’s expectations of future events as of the date hereof and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, conditions, and events to differ materially and adversely from those anticipated. Such factors include those risks described in the company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 24, 2026, as well as any updates to those risk factors filed from time to time in the company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K. Myriad is not under any obligation, and it expressly disclaims any obligation, to update or alter any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by law.
About D S Simon Media:
The firm is well known as a leader in the satellite media tour industry and produces tours from its studio and multiple control rooms at its New York headquarters. Clients include top brands in healthcare, technology, travel, financial services, consumer goods, entertainment, retail and non-profits. Established in 1986 the firm has won more than 100 industry awards.
About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a property of D S Simon Media. The video included and release was part of a media tour that was produced by D S Simon Media on behalf of Myriad Genetics.
Michael O’Donnell
D S Simon Media
212-736-2727
modonnell@dssimon.com
A video accompanying this release is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6ba9d1fe-23d4-4e9e-80f9-31eeff30a725
