Alissa, PharmD, BCPP, CNGS
About Alissa:
Hello! My name is Alissa Huhn, and I am the founding pharmacist of PrescribeDNA…I simply never tire of saying that!
HISTORY: PrescribeDNA was born shortly after my son, Otto. I immediately became a believer in the power of parenthood!
Otto had a pharmacogenomic (PGx) test done shortly after birth as a preventative measure and a gift for his future health. As a clinical pharmacist, I had plenty of experience interpreting these, but this was the first time I received one of these reports as a “patient,”…and it was such a disappointing experience.
The lab returned a 50-page report and made ZERO attempts to connect with me as the patient! I was floored. How was ANYONE without professional training supposed to interpret, much less apply, this type of information?!
They aren’t. That’s the problem.
Armed with a history of clinical experience and a love of PGx, the idea for a direct-to-patient professional consulting service was obvious. The path to get there was not. One naptime a day, I built this practice and am so honored to be able to offer you what I wished existed.
AREAS OF INTEREST: I am board-certified in psychiatric pharmacy and genuinely enjoy helping patients make the very most of the brain they have. Sometimes that requires medication, and sometimes it doesn’t. No two people are the same, and incorporating my clinical expertise with genetic information allows me to finely tune things as much as possible for my patients as unique individuals.
FUN FACT: I love ALL animals, but my heart melts for reptiles – the bigger, the better!
FAVORITE PLACE TO TRAVEL: New Orleans is my favorite so far, but I am confident Indonesia will be tied…when I finally make it there!
Education:
- University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy (Twin Cities), 2016
- University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences (BS, Biology), 2012
Affiliations:
- Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists, Certified Nutritional Genomics Specialist
- Board of Pharmacy Specialities, Board-Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist
- College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists, member and peer reviewer
- American College of Clinical Pharmacy, member and PGx certification
- Neuroscience Education Institute, member
- Get the Medications Right Institute, member
Liz, PharmD
About Liz:
Hi! I’m Liz van Mechelen. I am not your traditional pharmacist. I started my career in retail pharmacy but soon moved to the insurance world where I have had many roles including reviewing prior authorization requests, managing other pharmacists, doing medication therapy management calls, and reviewing specialty drug claims.
HISTORY: My experience in both retail pharmacy and pharmacy insurance benefits highlighted the complicated nature of our healthcare system. Many people are overmedicated and too often symptoms worsen instead of improve. Every day I review medication lists and find errors. Unfortunately, fixing these errors in our current system is not as easy as it should be – there has to be a better way! This is when I discovered pharmacogenomics and nutrigenomics.
Getting healthy is not always straightforward but I believe incorporating one’s own genetic information into the health plan can decrease needless frustration and increase confidence on the path to optimal health. I enjoy helping people better understand their medications, get to the root cause of the issue, and navigate the healthcare system. My hope is that this empowers patients with the tools and mindset to take ownership of improving their health.
FUN FACT: I play on a kickball team Spring through Fall. I am still attempting to find a favorite outdoor Winter activity – last year I bought ice skates but I definitely need more practice!
FAVORITE PLACE TO TRAVEL: One of my favorite experiences was traveling to Italy. It is beautiful, full of history, and has amazing food and wine. I hope to make it back again someday!
Education:
- University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy (Twin Cities), 2016
- University of Minnesota Duluth, Exercise Science, 2012
Affiliations:
- Get the Medications Right Institute, Member
