Today we’d like to introduce you to Cari Lalande.
Hi Cari, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Good question, who am I?
I am Dr. Cari Lalande. A 47-year-old genetic pharmacist, mother of 3 beautiful daughters, 2 granddaughters, and wife of the most supportive best friend anyone could ever hope to be blessed with.
In 2010 I decided to trade in counting beans for counting pills. But I may be jumping ahead. It’s a long story, but I will try to keep it brief.
Before becoming a genetic pharmacist, I owned Accessible Business Solutions, a bookkeeping consulting firm I started in 1998. Affiliations with an accounting firm in Philadelphia during this time opened the door for many opportunities, including owning restaurants, a South Philly dive bar, and raising money for a private REIT in both Philadelphia and Chicago while continuing to help small businesses fix their bookkeeping challenges.
In 20076/2007 I started to see a significant slowdown in the REIT industry and decided to change course and travel the world as a flight attendant for Northwest Airlines flying from San Francisco to Hawaii, and Asia regularly. In 2008 I was blessed to meet my beloved husband, soulmate, and best friend, thereby turning in my wings. After a fun stint bartending in a high-end bar at a casino in Louisiana, I figured I had to get serious, or at least somewhat, and decided to go back to school to become a pharmacist.
As it turned out, the requirements for pharmacy school are quite different from accounting and bookkeeping, and I had to start over, mostly. So my educational journey began again at McNeese State University with amazing professors like Dr. Juliana Hinton. I graduated in 2013 with a genetically focused B.S. in biology, and a minor in biochemistry. That same year I was accepted into Creighton University’s Distance Pathway PharmD program. Interestingly, my interview for acceptance into Creighton was with Dr. Singh, the only pharmacogenomics (PGx) professor there at the time; a true blessing with guidance from above.
From the comfort of our home in Lake Charles, LA, and eventually Austin, TX, I became a pharmacist graduating in 2017. And yes, a fun side note, exams always fell on Fat Tuesday with parades right outside my door on Ryan Street. It’s a holiday in Louisiana but not Nebraska, LOL!
Once I was fully licensed in Texas I started my new career as a PRN pharmacist with a local Austin independent pharmacy. Within 6 months I realized that retail pharmacy was not for me as I like solving problems and talking to patients more than time allows in that branch of pharmacy. So, I went out on my own again, starting Precision Rx Consulting as a long-term care consultant pharmacist. I’ve always known that genetics and medicine would become a cornerstone in healthcare, and I prayed that I could help lead that charge someday. The only question was where to start.
In 2018 I was approached by a small company in Tennessee trying to implement PGx into their business model. When they presented their concept to me, all I could say to my now dear friend Mike Dearman was, “How did you get everything I’ve been thinking about for the past 8 years into a PowerPoint without me knowing” The exception, as I explained, even then, was plans I had already developed for a genetic lab and pharmacy.
In as much, it was a good opportunity to expand, and I agreed to assist by launching a PGx program into the long-term care space. With genetic testing as a tool, I was able to help many patients live better lives by reducing the number of medications, the number of side effects, and helping their providers choose the right treatment when needed.
Eventually, I stepped out of LTC consulting and began training pharmacists to implement PGx into their practices. After about 4 years, I realized that the company values and goals were shifting, and we no longer aligned. I resigned to pursue my dream of truly helping people once again through genetics. Thus, was officially born Health By Genetics.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It wouldn’t be a good story if it were a smooth road. There are always a lot of road bumps when starting a new business, but I have to say that the biggest challenge was funding. Thankfully, this was solved by the team at First Citizen’s Bank here in Austin. I am beyond grateful to Edward Hanna his amazing the team for believing in me, the goals of Health By Genetics, and helping to make my vision come to life!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Health By Genetics™ is a pharmacist-owned molecular lab with a twist. We offer our patients a unique comprehensive healthcare solution previously unrealized in today’s market by utilizing a holistic approach with genetics as the foundation. Our goal is to empower patients to live life abundantly on their terms.
To achieve this level of care we offer several different types of genetic testing opportunities focusing on pharmacogenomics (PGx) and nutrigenomics (NGx).
What is pharmacogenomics?
It is a complex relationship between genetics and how medicine works. By combining pharmacology (the study of how drugs work) and genomics (the study of an individual’s genes and their functions) we are better able to understand how variations in our genetic code influence an individual’s response to medications. This approach help can assist providers with choosing the right medication.
What if my doctor doesn’t know about pharmaco… what?
Our team of genetically trained pharmacists act as your advocate working directly with your providers to understand the best medication choices based upon your genetic makeup. Taking this approach has been proven to reduce the occurrence of side effects, polypharmacy, and increases awareness of better lifestyle choices to solve for underlying challenges.
Our mission is to solve the challenges most patients face when multiple providers are involved in prescribing various medications without communicating. This gap in communication significantly increases the risk of adverse side effects and related events. To reduce this risk we created our PharmaAssist™ Concierge clinical services program. Genetic testing should not be viewed as a one-and-done test which is why our program provides patients with a genetically trained pharmacist to act as their advocate with their healthcare providers on an as needed basis.
What is nutrigenomics (NGx)?
Nutrigenomics is the study of interactions between genes and nutrients which aims to understand how personalized nutrition can optimize health and improve overall well-being by combining principles from genomics, molecular biology, biochemistry, and nutrition.
The Health By Genetics and PharmaAssist approach is understanding the whole person. To do so effectively, we also offer genetic testing for food sensitivities, diet, sports and fitness, hormones, skin, mind, and overall well-being, as well as the effects of CBD and Cannabis. Several of these components are combined into one comprehensive nutrigenomic (NGx) test to ensure we can create a complete plan to help our patients reach their goals.
What’s next for Health By Genetics?
As we continue supporting our patients through our holistic approach, we will soon be moving into the next phase by building a compounding lab and pharmacy. This will allow us to provide customized medications and nutraceuticals based on individual needs.
What do you think about luck?
I don’t believe in luck or coincidence. I believe in God. I believe in his plan for me, my family, our employees, and all the patients we can help. I could provide you with a litany of examples as to why I have this belief, but the easiest way is to simply say that we all have our struggles in life. Choosing to see the silver lining on even the darkest cloud or making sure we embrace the greatest moments is, in my mind, the key.
In recent months there have been several moments when I was sure of very little. At what seemed like possibly the darkest I had ever known I was reminded gently by God, “For it is by faith we walk, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). This was above the door to the entrance to my girl’s school. I had never noticed it until then when I needed it most. Since then I am frequently reminded of that expression when I am feeling lost, and miraculously, what needs to happen does.
Pricing:
- Initial consultation is free. Please call, email, or visit the website to book your visit either in person or virtually. During this meeting we will discuss pricing and options based upon your needs and goals.
- Insurance may cover the cost of pharmacogenomic testing but does not cover nutrigenomic testing.
Contact Info:
- Clinic: (512) 541-0207
- Email: info@healthbygenetics.com
- Website: www.healthbygenetics.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/health-by-genetics™
