FM/A Blood Test

[Jeanmarie]

Hello!

Just recently I heard about the FM/a blood.
Interesting that it has been around for over 7 years now, but I have never heard of it.
Neither have my medical providers.
Has anyone here had any experience with them good or bad?
I find it quite interesting that they state Medicare covers it and over 90% of people who take the test have it paid by insurance.
That would lead me to believe that they have nothing to do with "accepting" a certain insurance, but the actual test needs to be approved by the insurance.

Look forward to hearing some feedback.

Thanks

Jeanmarie

 

[sunkacola]

Hello Jeanmarie,
I looked up the site, and it looks hinky to me. I see there is scientific criticism of their research.
There is to my knowledge no such blood test that would identify, or "prove", as they say, fibromyalgia.
I think they just want to take your money, but of course this is my opinion, as I don't know anything for sure.

 

[cookiebaker]

hi Jeanmarie, and welcome.

I am inclined to be quite skeptical as well - there is only one place in the country doing this test?
If it was truly a valid test, it should be offered all over the country, not in just one location.
Not to mention that the so called "treatment study" has never taken place, and probably wont from the sounds of things.

Ok, granted, maybe they are trying to develop a test, but that does not mean they already have. And as far as testing the waters, not sure I would be willing to spend $1000 on a maybe. That is not typically how research is done, btw (by asking participants to pay for testing).

this "test" was also discussed last year in another thread here.

a quote from the original "StatNews" article mentioned in the other thread...

Ask a fibro specialist about the FM/a — as patients and doctors often do — and they’ll say it isn’t nearly as definitive as the company makes it out to be. “It’s one of those tests that unfortunately, it made the commercial area before really good solid studies had been done to validate the efficacy,” said Andy Abril, chair of rheumatology at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., who helped start its fibromyalgia program.

 

[sunkacola]

In other words, basically a scam.
Thanks for the additional information, @cookiebaker .

Research participants are Never asked to pay for the study, in fact sometimes they are paid.
This is just an attempt to grab your money.

 

[JayCS]

Just recently I heard about the FM/a blood test by EpicGenetics, Inc. ... 7 years now, but I have never heard of it. Neither have my medical providers.
Has anyone here had any experience with them good or bad?
Medicare covers it and over 90% of people who take the test have it paid by insurance... .... needs to be approved by the insurance.

Welcome Jeanmarie!

To sum up again:
They measure inflammatory cytokines. These are one group of at least 15 possible biomarkers for fibro - as well as other things.
These may be involved inasmuch as fibro may have an autoimmune (or immune) aspect. But both are far from conclusive proof yet.
Bruce Gillis cunningly "helps" those of us who feel unsure about the vague diagnosis by claiming it is proven, so sells it as a "test", as proof.
Patients that believe him may tend to stop excluding other possible diagnoses, so insurances are keen to 'help' in turn, to save money.
Seeing as other diagnoses should be excluded even if it is fibro, this cytokine blood check is a waste, and psychologically dangerous.
Esp. for people who "test" negative, as I've read. Or for those hoping to then partake in the BCG-vaccine study that he left without admitting.

 

[JamieMarc]

One of the biggest lab testing corporations in the United States does not list this or offer this test. That says a lot! I seriously doubt Medicare would cover it, regardless of what the sellers website states. I would categorize this as a company that only wants to take your money and offering nothing useful in return. I strongly advise against doing this.

 

[sunkacola]

Since it was the first post from this person, I suspect they came here to advertise, and disguised it as a question.

 

[JayCS]

I seriously doubt Medicare would cover it, regardless of what the sellers website states. I would categorize this as a company that only wants to take your money and offering nothing useful in return.

Definitely about money. Almost everyone on forums I've read doing it, about 10 people, did get it covered. I hope this has changed since EpicGenetics revealed their attitude, of lack of it, by still advertising for the study on their website way after they stopped paying the clinic.

Since it was the first post from this person, I suspect they came here to advertise, and disguised it as a question.

Whoops, I missed that one!
No introduction, so no FM/CFS themselves, bland phrases, no forum search that would have brought the old threads up.... yep!

 

[sunkacola]

As such, it is probably best to leave this thread alone. I am only leaving it in the forum so that people looking at the subject can read some sensible replies to it. But I am closing this thread to further comment.