Female Founded Precision Medicine Company Brings Science-Based Approach to Birth Control Selection
adyn, the first to create a test designed to prevent birth control side effects, announced the official launch of its flagship product, The Birth Control Test. While some side effects—like weight gain and acne—are a nuisance, others—like blood clots and depression—can be life-threatening. With approximately 200 prescription options on the US market and no scientific way for doctors to predict who will experience which side effect, women have had to rely on years of trial and error to find a birth control that works for them. Now, in as little as 30 days, birth control users can be on a birth control that matches their personal reproductive goals and biology. adyn combines hormone measurements with genetic analysis to generate medically actionable insights for each individual.
The Birth Control Test is the first product to be released by adyn, a precision medicine company on a mission to make scientific discovery more inclusive. Founder Dr. Elizabeth Ruzzo knows firsthand how painful it is to be on the wrong birth control. After becoming severely depressed and having suicidal thoughts on the pill, she consulted with a doctor, only to have her symptoms dismissed as “impossible.” A PhD in genetics and genomics, her past research uncovered genetic causes of complex diseases like autism and identified genetic markers predictive of a person’s response to medication. With this expertise, Elizabeth knew the connection between her symptoms and birth control were not only possible but avoidable.
“Birth control is famous for providing freedom from unwanted pregnancy but it’s also the most common medicine used to manage reproductive disorders like Endometriosis. Fifty two percent of women have tried four or more birth control methods (not including different types of the pill) before they are satisfied,” said Dr. Ruzzo. “My firsthand experience with life threatening side effects from birth control, coupled with my scientific background, inspired me to find a solution for this problem. There is a massive void in medical research that has resulted in a materially poorer understanding of female biology. We want to provide people with their own high-quality biological data to not only remove the guesswork from birth control selection, but also contribute by opting in to research that focuses on the 97 health conditions that solely, disproportionately, or differently affect people assigned female at birth.”
adyn customer Haley H. shared, “I’ve been hesitant to try birth control in the past because of the side effects — including depression, which I’ve struggled with. adyn gives me more confidence in how the choices I make will affect my body. It’s rare women have an opportunity to easily learn more about their body (given the gender data gap), and more information can only help.”
About The Birth Control Test
The Birth Control Test is shipped directly to the home; a small finger prick of blood is collected for measuring hormones and a saliva sample is collected for DNA analysis. adyn then creates a personalized report that identifies risk for certain side effects and schedules a virtual care visit with a medical provider trained in contraceptive counseling to help each individual make the best choice based on their reproductive goals and unique biology.
By looking at their genetic profile and hormone levels, women can learn:
- How their current hormone levels may impact their health and responses to birth control.
- Their genetic risk for the most dangerous birth control side effects, including blood clots and depression.
- Which birth control formulations can help them manage or skip their period.
- Which birth control formulations can help treat their acne.
- The pros and cons of each highly effective birth control method based on their unique biology and medical history.
Bianca Lynch, APRN, MSN, FNP-C, said, “I feel like every patient on birth control needs this information and it’s not necessarily given to them.”
The test is now available nationwide (except NY, NJ, RI) at adyn.com for $369 which includes the at-home collection materials, analysis, personalized reporting, and a virtual care visit. The Birth Control Test qualifies for Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) payments but coverage is dependent on individual plans.