Skip to content
How does pharmacogenomics improve healthcare?

How does pharmacogenomics improve healthcare?

09.JAN.2024

Written by Anna Sanniti

Reviewed by Wendi Gill, CGC

Pharmacogenomics is the study of how our genes influence our response to medication. We now know that people can react to the same drug in very different ways, so understanding a person’s genetics can assist healthcare providers to better tailor treatments. It is estimated that 95% of the population has a genetic variant that can influence how a drug is prescribed[1]. In this article we will discuss how pharmacogenomics:

  • can improve efficacy and therapeutic outcomes.

  • can reduce adverse drug reactions.

  • can provide a patient with the right care, faster.

How can pharmacogenomics improve efficacy and therapeutic outcomes?

A personalized dose of a medication based on pharmacogenomic results can provide an optimal dose so that the therapeutic benefit is improved. This is because differences in our genetics can influence:

  • The breakdown or metabolism of a drug. Fast metabolizers will need more of the medicine to have a therapeutic effect, whereas slow metabolizers will need less to avoid any adverse drug reactions[2,3]. 

  • The uptake of the drug into the cell. If there is a lower uptake this can cause a weak response to the drug[2]. 

  • Differences in the number and structure of receptors on a cell. More receptors or certain genetic variants can cause a person to be more sensitive to a medicine and can cause others to not feel the effects of the medicine at all[4,5].

How can pharmacogenomics improve adverse drug reactions?

Remember that an adverse drug reaction is an unpleasant reaction or side effect following the use of a medicine. This may happen due to a number of reasons, including:

  • If your genetic variants cause you to break down a drug more slowly, then more of the drug may build up in the blood, potentially causing adverse reactions[2,3].

  • If there is lower uptake of the drug into cells, then the drug can build up in the blood and may cause an adverse reaction[2].

  • Certain genetic variants can increase the risk of an adverse reaction[4].

In one study that combined the results of many studies (a meta-analysis), patients who were prescribed medicines using their pharmacogenomics results were less likely to be hospitalized, compared to patients with a usual treatment plan[1].

How can pharmacogenomics provide a patient with the right care, faster?

In the same meta-analysis mentioned above, healthcare providers using pharmacogenomics to guide treatment choices changed a patient’s medication significantly more often compared with a usual treatment plan[1]. This can be especially important for older patients, who are often taking multiple drugs at the same time[1]. During a typical treatment plan, it can often take weeks or months of using a watch-and-wait approach to understand whether a medication provides an adequate therapeutic effect. This can lead to wasted time, during which a patient may still feel unwell or their condition may worsen. Genetic variants identified through pharmacogenomics testing, such as the myPGx test, may help predict how a patient responds to medicines, enabling providers to tailor medication regimens to maximize the therapeutic benefit.

Let’s recap

  • Pharmacogenomics can assist healthcare providers to better tailor treatments to their patients based on their genetics.

  • A personalized dose of a medication can improve its therapeutic benefit, reduce adverse drug reactions, and provide the right care, faster.

References

  1. Frontiers in Genetics. An analysis of pharmacogenomic-guided pathways and their effect on medication changes and hospital admissions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Online: frontiersin.org

  2. CDC Genomics and Precision Health. Pharmacogenomics: What does it mean for your health? Online: cdc.gov

  3. British Journal of Pharmacology. Molecular genetics of CYP2D6: Clinical relevance with focus on psychotropic drugs. Online: bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

  4. Future Medicine. The pharmacogenetics of treatment with olanzapine. Online: futuremedicine.com

  5. American Journal of Human Genetics. Variation in the gene encoding the serotonin 2A receptor is associated with outcome of antidepressant treatment. Online: cell.com