PRESS RELEASE
New independent peer-reviewed scientific research confirms the importance of genetics in AMD supplement use.
Grand Rapids, MI. August 2020: A multi-center, independent peer-reviewed research project designed to determine whether there is an interaction between AREDS2-formulation vitamins and wet AMD (nvAMD) validates the importance of using genetics for AMD treatment selection.
The study, led by Dr. Stephen Kaufman, a board-certified ophthalmologist and assistant professor at the Case Western University School of Medicine was published in the Journal of VitreoRetinal Diseases in July /August 2020. This is a significant scientific contribution confirming the importance of genetic testing in personalized AMD supplement use.
The study results agree with other reports. This study specifically supports the findings in two other independent peer-reviewed reports by Seddon et al. (2016) and by Vavvas et al. (2018), which found AREDS protects patients with some genotypes from developing wet AMD but increases the risk of wet AMD for patients with a different genotype.
Doctors will want to protect the 15% of AMD patients who carry the high risk genotype. This translates to approximately 900 000 patients in the USA, who may be taking supplements that can harm them. This study confirms the need for eye care professionals to guide patient’s use of supplements by assessing their risk through genetic testing.
This study also highlights the need for vitamin manufacturers to demonstrate that their formulations are safe and effective for this medical indication.
The research findings were presented in July 2019 at the annual scientific meeting of the American Society of Retina Specialists, by one of the study investigators, Dr. Pradeepa Yoganathan. This presentation created a renewed interest in the Vita Risk® test, that identifies the unique genotype in high risk AMD patients. A positive Vita Risk® test result recommends that any long-term treatment selected be a no Zinc formulation.
This information empowers eye care professionals, patients and manufacturers with the latest data to make informed decisions about the use of AREDS2 supplements in the treatment of AMD.