Integrating Pharmacogenomics into Clinical Practice: Promise vs Reality

Pharmacogenomic augmented machine learning in electronic health record alerts: A health system-wide usability survey of clinicians

Pharmacogenomic (PGx) biomarkers integrated using machine learning can be embedded within the electronic health record (EHR) to provide clinicians with individualized predictions of drug treatment outcomes. Currently, however, drug alerts in the EHR are largely generic (not patient-specific) and contribute to increased clinician stress and burnout. Improving the usability of PGx alerts is an urgent need. Therefore, this work aimed to identify principles for optimal PGx alert design through a health-system-wide, mixed-methods study. Clinicians representing multiple practices and care settings (N = 1062) in urban, rural, and underserved regions were invited to complete an electronic survey comparing the usability of three drug alerts for citalopram, as a case study. Alert 1 contained a generic warning of pharmacogenomic effects on citalopram metabolism. Alerts 2 and 3 provided patient-specific predictions of citalopram efficacy with varying depth of information. Primary outcomes included the System's Usability Scale score (0-100 points) of each alert, the perceived impact of each alert on stress and decision-making, and clinicians' suggestions for alert improvement. Secondary outcomes included the assessment of alert preference by clinician age, practice type, and geographic setting. Qualitative information was captured to provide context to quantitative information. The final cohort comprised 305 geographically and clinically diverse clinicians. A simplified, individualized alert (Alert 2) was perceived as beneficial for decision-making and stress compared with a more detailed version (Alert 3) and the generic alert (Alert 1) regardless of age, practice type, or geographic setting. Findings emphasize the need for clinician-guided design of PGx alerts in the era of digital medicine.

Experience and expectations of pharmacogenetic tests in France

Although French genomic medicine is reaching a turning point in its history and the implementation of genome sequencing in routine is being implemented as part of the France Genomic Medicine 2025 Plan (FGMP), many questions about secondary data management remain to be addressed. In particular, the use of pharmacogenetic (PGx) information that can be extracted from genome data is a concern. We sought to analyze the opinion of French health professionals on their desire to have access to this information. For this purpose, we created a 22-item questionnaire on the experiences, attitudes, expectations, and knowledge of French physicians and pharmacists about PGx. We collected the responses in different groups and determined a knowledge score with the last 3 questions of the questionnaire. Then, we built a prediction model for this score and determined which factors may influence it. Half of the responders were physicians (158/311) and the other half were pharmacists (153/311), and the majority of them worked in a hospital (265/311). Almost two third (62.7%, 195/311) of the responders thought that pharmacogenetic data should be communicated with genomic results for the primary indication within the framework of FGMP, and 89.1% (277/311) of them that PGx tests could be an interesting tool to optimize patients' drug therapy in the future. Only 11.2% (35/311) of the responders reached the maximum knowledge score, while 25.4% (76/311) had already prescribed or recommended a PGx test. This study identified a need for training for French physicians and pharmacists in PGx, particularly given the interest of health professionals in it.

Should secondary pharmacogenomic variants be actively screened and reported when diagnostic genome-wide sequencing is performed in a child?

This white paper was prepared by the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health Regulatory and Ethics Work Stream's Pediatric Task Team to review and provide perspective with respect to ethical, legal, and social issues regarding the return of secondary pharmacogenomic variants in children who have a serious disease or developmental disorder and are undergoing exome or genome sequencing to identify a genetic cause of their condition. We discuss actively searching for and reporting pharmacogenetic/genomic variants in pediatric patients, different methods of returning secondary pharmacogenomic findings to the patient/parents and/or treating clinicians, maintaining these data in the patient's health record over time, decision supports to assist using pharmacogenetic results in future treatment decisions, and sharing information in public databases to improve the clinical interpretation of pharmacogenetic variants identified in other children. We conclude by presenting a series of points to consider for clinicians and policymakers regarding whether, and under what circumstances, routine screening and return of pharmacogenomic variants unrelated to the indications for testing is appropriate in children who are undergoing genome-wide sequencing to assist in the diagnosis of a suspected genetic disease.

Integrating rare genetic variants into DPYD pharmacogenetic testing may help preventing fluoropyrimidine-induced toxicity

Variability in genes involved in drug pharmacokinetics or drug response can be responsible for suboptimal treatment efficacy or predispose to adverse drug reactions. In addition to common genetic variations, large-scale sequencing studies have uncovered multiple rare genetic variants predicted to cause functional alterations in genes encoding proteins implicated in drug metabolism, transport and response. To understand the functional importance of rare genetic variants in DPYD, a pharmacogene whose alterations can cause severe toxicity in patients exposed to fluoropyrimidine-based regimens, massively parallel sequencing of the exonic regions and flanking splice junctions of the DPYD gene was performed in a series of nearly 3000 patients categorized according to pre-emptive DPD enzyme activity using the dihydrouracil/uracil ([UH2]/[U]) plasma ratio as a surrogate marker of DPD activity. Our results underscore the importance of integrating next-generation sequencing-based pharmacogenomic interpretation into clinical decision making to minimize fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy toxicity without altering treatment efficacy.

Clinical utilities and end-user experience of pharmacogenomics: 39 mo of clinical implementation experience in an Australian hospital setting

BACKGROUND

Pharmacogenomics (PG) testing is under-utilised in Australia. Our research provides Australia-specific data on the perspectives of patients who have had PG testing and those of the clinicians involved in their care, with the aim to inform wider adoption of PG into routine clinical practice.

AIM

To investigate the frequency of actionable drug gene interactions and assess the perceived utility of PG among patients and clinicians.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective audit of PG undertaken by 100 patients at an Australian public hospital genetics service from 2018 to 2021. Via electronic surveys we compared and contrasted the experience, understanding and usage of results between these patients and their clinicians.

RESULTS

Of 100 patients who had PG, 84% were taking prescription medications, of which 67% were taking medications with actionable drug-gene interactions. Twenty-five out of 81 invited patients and 17 out of 89 invited clinicians completed the surveys. Sixty-eight percent of patients understood their PG results and 48% had medications changed following testing. Paired patient-clinician surveys showed patient-perceived utility and experience was positive, contrasting their clinicians’ hesitancy on PG adoption who identified insufficient education/training, lack of clinical support, test turnaround time and cost as barriers to adoption.

CONCLUSION

Our dichotomous findings between the perspectives of our patient and clinician cohorts suggest the uptake of PG is likely to be driven by patients and clinicians need to be prepared to provide information and guidance to their patients.

SLCO1B1 gene-based clinical decision support reduces statin-associated muscle symptoms risk with simvastatin

Background: SLCO1B1 variants are known to be a strong predictor of statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS) risk with simvastatin. Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective chart review on 20,341 patients who had SLCO1B1 genotyping to quantify the uptake of clinical decision support (CDS) for genetic variants known to impact SAMS risk. Results: A total of 182 patients had 417 CDS alerts generated, and 150 of these patients (82.4%) received pharmacotherapy that did not increase risks for SAMS. Providers were more likely to cancel simvastatin orders in response to CDS alerts if genotyping had been done prior to the first simvastatin prescription than after (94.1% vs 28.5%, respectively; p < 0.001). Conclusion: CDS significantly reduces simvastatin prescribing at doses associated with SAMS.

Pharmacogenomic Clinical Decision Support: A Scoping Review

Clinical decision support (CDS) is often cited as an essential part of pharmacogenomics (PGx) implementations. A multitude of strategies are available; however, it is unclear which strategies are effective and which metrics are used to quantify clinical utility. The objective of this scoping review was to aggregate previous studies into a cohesive depiction of the current state of PGx CDS implementations and identify areas for future research on PGx CDS. Articles were included if they (i) described electronic CDS tools for PGx and (ii) reported metrics related to PGx CDS. Twenty of 3,449 articles were included and provided data on PGx CDS metrics from 15 institutions, with 93% of programs located at academic medical centers. The most common tools in CDS implementations were interruptive post-test alerts. Metrics for clinical response and alert response ranged from 12-73% and 21-98%, respectively. Few data were found on changes in metrics over time and measures that drove the evolution of CDS systems. Relatively few data were available regarding support of optimal approaches for PGx CDS. Post-test alerts were the most widely studied approach, and their effectiveness varied greatly. Further research on the usability, effectiveness, and optimization of CDS tools is needed.

The Implementation of Pharmacogenetics in the United Kingdom

There is considerable inter-individual variability in the effectiveness and safety of pharmaceutical interventions. This phenomenon can be attributed to a multitude of factors; however, it is widely acknowledged that common genetic variation affecting drug absorption or metabolism play a substantial contributory role. This is a concept known as pharmacogenetics. Understanding how common genetic variants influence responses to medications, and using this knowledge to inform prescribing practice, could yield significant advantages for both patients and healthcare systems. Some health services around the world have introduced pharmacogenetics into routine practice, whereas others are less advanced along the implementation pathway. This chapter introduces the field of pharmacogenetics, the existing body of evidence, and discusses barriers to implementation. The chapter will specifically focus on efforts to introduce pharmacogenetics in the NHS, highlighting key challenges related to scale, informatics, and education.

Clinician adherence to pharmacogenomics prescribing recommendations in clinical decision support alerts

Thoughtful integration of interruptive clinical decision support (CDS) alerts within the electronic health record is essential to guide clinicians on the application of pharmacogenomic results at point of care. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital implemented a preemptive pharmacogenomic testing program in 2011 in a multidisciplinary effort involving extensive education to clinicians about pharmacogenomic implications. We conducted a retrospective analysis of clinicians' adherence to 4783 pharmacogenomically guided CDS alerts that triggered for 12 genes and 60 drugs. Clinicians adhered to the therapeutic recommendations provided in 4392 alerts (92%). In our population of pediatric patients with catastrophic illnesses, the most frequently presented gene/drug CDS alerts were TPMT/NUDT15 and thiopurines (n = 3850), CYP2D6 and ondansetron (n = 667), CYP2D6 and oxycodone (n = 99), G6PD and G6PD high-risk medications (n  = 51), and CYP2C19 and proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole and pantoprazole; n = 50). The high adherence rate was facilitated by our team approach to prescribing and our collaborative CDS design and delivery.

General practitioners' (GPs) experience, attitudes and needs on clinical genetic services: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

The proliferation and growing demands of genetic testing are anticipated to revolutionise medical practice. As gatekeepers of healthcare systems, general practitioners (GPs) are expected to play a critical role in the provision of clinical genetic services. This paper aims to review existing literature on GPs' experience, attitudes and needs towards clinical genetic services.

DESIGN

A systematic mixed studies review of papers published between 2010 and 2022.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The inclusion criterion was peer-reviewed articles in English and related to GPs' experience, views and needs on any genetic testing.

INFORMATION SOURCES

The PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane, EMBASE databases were searched using Mesh terms, Boolean and wildcards combinations to identify peer-reviewed articles published from 2010 to 2022. Study quality was assessed using Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Only articles that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected. A thematic meta-synthesis was conducted on the final sample of selected articles to identify key themes.

RESULTS

A total of 62 articles were included in the review. Uncertainty over GPs' role in providing genetic services were attributed by the lack of confidence and time constraints and rarity of cases may further exacerbate their reluctance to shoulder an expanded role in clinical genetics. Although educational interventions were found to increasing GPs' knowledge and confidence to carry out genetic tasks, varied interest on genetic testing and preference for a shared care model with other genetic health professionals have resulted in minimal translation to clinical adoption.

CONCLUSION

This review highlights the need for deeper exploration of GPs' varied experience and attitudes towards clinical genetic services to better facilitate targeted intervention in the adoption of clinical genetics.

Pharmacogenomics of medications given via nonconventional administration routes: a scoping review

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) implementation has become increasingly widespread. One of the most important aspects of this implementation process is the development of appropriate clinical decision support (CDS). Major PGx resources, such as the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium, provide valuable recommendations for the development of CDS for specific gene–drug pairs but do not specify whether the administration route of a drug is clinically relevant. It is also unknown if PGx alerts for nonorally and non-intravenously administered PGx-relevant medications should be suppressed to reduce alert fatigue. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify studies and their clinical, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic outcomes to better determine if CDS alerts are relevant for nonorally and non-intravenously administered PGx-relevant medications. Although this scoping review identified multiple PGx studies, the results of these studies were inconsistent, and more evidence is needed regarding different routes of medication administration and PGx.

A Theory-Informed Systematic Review of Barriers and Enablers to Implementing Multi-Drug Pharmacogenomic Testing

PGx testing requires a complex set of activities undertaken by practitioners and patients, resulting in varying implementation success. This systematic review aimed (PROSPERO: CRD42019150940) to identify barriers and enablers to practitioners and patients implementing pharmacogenomic testing. We followed PRISMA guidelines to conduct and report this review. Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and PubMed Central were systematically searched from inception to June 2022. The theoretical domain framework (TDF) guided the organisation and reporting of barriers or enablers relating to pharmacogenomic testing activities. From the twenty-five eligible reports, eleven activities were described relating to four implementation stages: ordering, facilitating, interpreting, and applying pharmacogenomic testing. Four themes were identified across the implementation stages: IT infrastructure, effort, rewards, and unknown territory. Barriers were most consistently mapped to TDF domains: memory, attention and decision-making processes, environmental context and resources, and belief about consequences.

Characterizing pharmacogenetic programs using the consolidated framework for implementation research: A structured scoping review

Several healthcare organizations have developed pre-emptive pharmacogenetic testing programs, where testing is undertaken prior to the prescription of a medicine. This review characterizes the barriers and facilitators which influenced the development of these programs. A bidirectional citation searching strategy identified relevant publications before a standardized data extraction approach was applied. Publications were grouped by program and data synthesis was undertaken using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). 104 publications were identified from 40 programs and 4 multi-center initiatives. 26 (66%) of the programs were based in the United States and 95% in high-income countries. The programs were heterogeneous in their design and scale. The Characteristics of the Intervention, Inner Setting, and Process domains were referenced by 92.5, 80, and 77.5% of programs, respectively. A positive institutional culture, leadership engagement, engaging stakeholders, and the use of clinical champions were frequently described as facilitators to implementation. Clinician self-efficacy, lack of stakeholder knowledge, and the cost of the intervention were commonly cited barriers. Despite variation between the programs, there were several similarities in approach which could be categorized via the CFIR. These form a resource for organizations planning the development of pharmacogenetic programs, highlighting key facilitators which can be leveraged to promote successful implementation.

Implementation of preemptive DNA sequence-based pharmacogenomics testing across a large academic medical center: The Mayo-Baylor RIGHT 10K Study

PURPOSE

The Mayo-Baylor RIGHT 10K Study enabled preemptive, sequence-based pharmacogenomics (PGx)-driven drug prescribing practices in routine clinical care within a large cohort. We also generated the tools and resources necessary for clinical PGx implementation and identified challenges that need to be overcome. Furthermore, we measured the frequency of both common genetic variation for which clinical guidelines already exist and rare variation that could be detected by DNA sequencing, rather than genotyping.

METHODS

Targeted oligonucleotide-capture sequencing of 77 pharmacogenes was performed using DNA from 10,077 consented Mayo Clinic Biobank volunteers. The resulting predicted drug response-related phenotypes for 13 genes, including CYP2D6 and HLA, affecting 21 drug-gene pairs, were deposited preemptively in the Mayo electronic health record.

RESULTS

For the 13 pharmacogenes of interest, the genomes of 79% of participants carried clinically actionable variants in 3 or more genes, and DNA sequencing identified an average of 3.3 additional conservatively predicted deleterious variants that would not have been evident using genotyping.

CONCLUSION

Implementation of preemptive rather than reactive and sequence-based rather than genotype-based PGx prescribing revealed nearly universal patient applicability and required integrated institution-wide resources to fully realize individualized drug therapy and to show more efficient use of health care resources.

The appropriateness of clinical decision support systems alerts in supporting clinical workflows: A systematic review

A CDSS generates a high number of inappropriate alerts that interrupt the clinical workflow. As a result, clinicians silence, disable, or ignore alerts, thereby undermining patient safety. Therefore, the effectiveness and appropriateness of CDSS alerts need to be evaluated. A systematic review was carried out to identify the factors that affect CDSS alert appropriateness in supporting clinical workflow. Seven electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, ACM, Science Direct, IEEE, Ovid Medline, and Ebscohost) were searched for English language articles published between 1997 and 2018. Seventy six papers met the inclusion criteria, of which 26, 24, 15, and 11 papers are retrospective cohort, qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies, respectively. The review highlights various factors influencing the appropriateness and efficiencies of CDSS alerts. These factors are categorized into technology, human, organization, and process aspects using a combination of approaches, including socio-technical framework, five rights of CDSS, and Lean. Most CDSS alerts were not properly designed based on human factor methods and principles, explaining high alert overrides in clinical practices. The identified factors and recommendations from the review may offer valuable insights into how CDSS alerts can be designed appropriately to support clinical workflow.

Legal Challenges in Precision Medicine: What Duties Arising From Genetic and Genomic Testing Does a Physician Owe to Patients?

Precision medicine is increasingly incorporated into clinical practice via three primary data conduits: environmental, lifestyle, and genetic data. In this manuscript we take a closer look at the genetic tier of precision medicine. The volume and variety of data provides a more robust picture of health for individual patients and patient populations. However, this increased data may also have an adverse effect by muddling our understanding without the proper pedagogical tools. Patient genomic data can be challenging to work with. Physicians may encounter genetic results which are not fully understood. Genetic tests may also lead to the quandary of linking patients with diseases or disorders where there are no known treatments. Thus, physicians face a unique challenge of establishing the proper scope of their duty to patients when dealing with genomic data. Some of those scope of practice boundaries have been established as a result of litigation, while others remain an open question. In this paper, we map out some of the legal challenges facing the genomic component of precision medicine, both established and some questions requiring additional guidance. If physicians begin to perceive genomic data as falling short in overall benefit to their patients, it may detrimentally impact precision medicine as a whole. Helping to develop guidance for physicians working with patient genomic data can help avoid this fate of faltering confidence.

Multi-Institutional Implementation of Clinical Decision Support for APOL1, NAT2, and YEATS4 Genotyping in Antihypertensive Management

(1) Background: Clinical decision support (CDS) is a vitally important adjunct to the implementation of pharmacogenomic-guided prescribing in clinical practice. A novel CDS was sought for the APOL1, NAT2, and YEATS4 genes to guide optimal selection of antihypertensive medications among the African American population cared for at multiple participating institutions in a clinical trial. (2) Methods: The CDS committee, made up of clinical content and CDS experts, developed a framework and contributed to the creation of the CDS using the following guiding principles: 1. medical algorithm consensus; 2. actionability; 3. context-sensitive triggers; 4. workflow integration; 5. feasibility; 6. interpretability; 7. portability; and 8. discrete reporting of lab results. (3) Results: Utilizing the principle of discrete patient laboratory and vital information, a novel CDS for APOL1, NAT2, and YEATS4 was created for use in a multi-institutional trial based on a medical algorithm consensus. The alerts are actionable and easily interpretable, clearly displaying the purpose and recommendations with pertinent laboratory results, vitals and links to ordersets with suggested antihypertensive dosages. Alerts were either triggered immediately once a provider starts to order relevant antihypertensive agents or strategically placed in workflow-appropriate general CDS sections in the electronic health record (EHR). Detailed implementation instructions were shared across institutions to achieve maximum portability. (4) Conclusions: Using sound principles, the created genetic algorithms were applied across multiple institutions. The framework outlined in this study should apply to other disease-gene and pharmacogenomic projects employing CDS.

Pharmacogenomics in the era of next generation sequencing - from byte to bedside

Pharmacogenetic research has resulted in the identification of a multitude of genetic variants that impact drug response or toxicity. These polymorphisms are mostly common and have been included as actionable information in the labels of numerous drugs. In addition to common variants, recent advances in Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies have resulted in the identification of a plethora of rare and population-specific pharmacogenetic variations with unclear functional consequences that are not accessible by conventional forward genetics strategies. In this review, we discuss how comprehensive sequencing information can be translated into personalized pharmacogenomic advice in the age of NGS. Specifically, we provide an update of the functional impacts of rare pharmacogenetic variability and how this information can be leveraged to improve pharmacogenetic guidance. Furthermore, we critically discuss the current status of implementation of pharmacogenetic testing across drug development and layers of care. We identify major gaps and provide perspectives on how these can be minimized to optimize the utilization of NGS data for personalized clinical decision-support.

Toward Personalized Medicine Implementation: Survey of Military Medicine Providers in the Area of Pharmacogenomics

INTRODUCTION

Personalized medicine is the right treatment, to the right patient, at the right dose. Knowledge of genetic predisposition to variable metabolism and distribution of drugs within the body is currently available as pharmacogenomic testing and is one of the pillars of personalized medicine. Pharmacogenomic testing is growing. It has become part of guidelines for dosing on FDA labels and has been used by health care organizations to improve outcomes and reduce adverse events. Additionally, it has been FDA approved for direct-to-consumer purchase and has been cause of concern of patient self-dosing and medication changes. Presumably in the near future, pharmacogenomics will be impressed upon the military health system (MHS) provider from either a top-down, command requested, or from a bottom-up, patient requested, approach. To date, widespread implementation of pharmacogenomic testing does not seem to be established within the MHS. This survey sheds light on the knowledge, exposure, use, comfort, and interest among family medicine providers in the MHS. It compares similar results in other national and international surveys and compares results among a small subset of residents to staff.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The questions were part of a larger survey conducted by the Clinical Investigations Committee of the Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians (USAFP) at the USAFP 2019 annual meeting. The study received approval from the Uniformed Services University Institutional Review Board. Submitted questions were written using multiple choice, fill-in, five-point Likert scale, and best answer. Direct results are reported as well as chi-square statistics for categorical data with statistical significance to attain a P-value of < 0.05.

RESULTS

Among the 532 USAFP-registered conference attendees eligible to complete the survey, 387 attendees responded to the survey, for a response rate of 72.7%. Some results included were a knowledge question in which 37% of respondents answered correctly. Less than half of respondents agreed that they could define pharmacogenomics, and resident respondents were more likely to have received teaching in graduate medical education. Additionally, 12% of providers responded to being exposed to direct-to-consumer results, and 28% of those exposed were influenced to change medications, while 14% were influenced to change medications on multiple occasions. Chi-square comparisons resulted in statistically significant direct relationships to exposure to direct to consumer testing, previous training, and confidence of those that answered the knowledge question correctly.

CONCLUSIONS

This survey establishes a baseline for the possible needs associated with implementation of a pharmacogenomic program, and it argues an actionable level for the use of pharmacogenomics among the patient population within the MHS.

Identification of populations likely to benefit from pharmacogenomic testing

OBJECTIVES

Pharmacogenomic testing (PGX) implementation is rapidly expanding, including pre-emptive testing funded by health systems. PGX continues to develop an evidence base that it saves money and improves clinical outcomes. Identifying the potential impact of pre-emptive testing in specific populations may aid in the development of a business case.

METHODS

We utilized a software tool that can evaluate patient drug lists and identified groups of patients most likely to benefit from implementation of a PGX testing program in a major medical system population.

RESULTS

Medication lists were obtained for sixteen patient groups with a total of 82 613 patients. The percent of patients in each group with testing 'Recommended', 'Strongly recommended', or 'Required' ranged from 12.7% in the outpatient pediatric psychiatry group to 75.7% in the any adult inpatient age >50 years group. Some of the highest yield drugs identified were citalopram, simvastatin, escitalopram, metoprolol, clopidogrel, tramadol, and ondansetron.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrate a significant number of patients in each group may have benefit, but targeting certain ones for pre-emptive testing may result in the initial highest yield for a health system.

Integrating pharmacogenomics into the electronic health record by implementing genomic indicators

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) clinical decision support integrated into the electronic health record (EHR) has the potential to provide relevant knowledge to clinicians to enable individualized care. However, past experience implementing PGx clinical decision support into multiple EHR platforms has identified important clinical, procedural, and technical challenges. Commercial EHRs have been widely criticized for the lack of readiness to implement precision medicine. Herein, we share our experiences and lessons learned implementing new EHR functionality charting PGx phenotypes in a unique repository, genomic indicators, instead of using the problem or allergy list. The Gen-Ind has additional features including a brief description of the clinical impact, a hyperlink to the original laboratory report, and links to additional educational resources. The automatic generation of genomic indicators from interfaced PGx test results facilitates implementation and long-term maintenance of PGx data in the EHR and can be used as criteria for synchronous and asynchronous CDS.

Sauver JL, Olson JE, Rohrer Vitek CR. An assessment of patient perspectives on pharmacogenomics educational materials

Aim: Pharmacogenomics (PGx) holds potential to improve patient treatment; yet, effective patient educational materials are limited. Materials & methods: Using a 'think aloud' technique, we sought to understand comprehension and perceptions of a multimedia PGx results packet including a cover letter with QR code to an educational video, brochure and prototype report in the context of PGx case vignettes. Results: The cover letter and video components were viewed less favorably due to excess detail, complex jargon and technology challenges. Recommendations were to enhance comprehension and utility and to customize materials to each patient's medications or disease conditions. Conclusion: Educational materials were revised to improve comprehension and usability, and diminish concerns to better prepare patients to understand the importance of discussing test results with their provider.

Implementation of Pharmacogenetics in Primary Care: A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective

Introduction

Aberrant pharmacogenetic variants occur in a high proportion of people and might be relevant for the prescription of over 26 drugs in primary care. Early identification of patients who metabolize these drugs more rapidly or slowly than average could predict therapeutic effectivity and safety. Yet implementation of pharmacogenetics is progressing slowly. A high public health impact can potentially be achieved by increasing the proportion of people tested, when and where eligible according to clinical validity and utility.

Methods

In this study we defined actions, roles, and responsibilities for implementation of pharmacogenetics in primary care in consultation with stakeholder groups, by using a three-step mixed-methods approach. First, to define barriers and facilitators, public pharmacists (n = 24), primary care physicians (n = 8), and patients (n = 21) participated in focus groups and face-to-face interviews. Second, a multidisciplinary expert meeting (n = 16) was organized to define desired actions, roles, and responsibilities. Third, an online Delphi Study (n = 18) was conducted to prioritize the designated actions.

Results

For the integration of pharmacogenetics in primary care guidelines and practice, lack of evidence for clinical utility was mentioned as a main barrier. Furthermore, reimbursement, and facilitation of data registration and sharing were considered as key elements for future routine application of pharmacogenetic testing. Moreover, the division of roles and responsibilities, especially between general practitioners and pharmacists, is currently perceived as unclear. Sixteen actions in these four areas (clinical utility, reimbursement, data registration and sharing, and roles and responsibilities) were formulated and assigned to specific actors during the expert meeting. After ranking these 16 actions in the Delphi Study, nine actions remained pertinent, covering the four areas with at least one action. However, participants showed low agreement on the prioritization of the different actions, illustrating their different perspectives and the need to attune between them.

Discussion

Stakeholders together were able to formulate required actions to achieve true integration of pharmacogenetics in primary care, but no consensus could be achieved on the prioritization of the actions. Coordination of the current independent initiatives by the different stakeholders could facilitate effective and efficient implementation of useful pharmacogenetics in primary care.

Pharmacogenomic clinical decision support design and multi-site process outcomes analysis in the eMERGE Network

To better understand the real-world effects of pharmacogenomic (PGx) alerts, this study aimed to characterize alert design within the eMERGE Network, and to establish a method for sharing PGx alert response data for aggregate analysis. Seven eMERGE sites submitted design details and established an alert logging data dictionary. Six sites participated in a pilot study, sharing alert response data from their electronic health record systems. PGx alert design varied, with some consensus around the use of active, post-test alerts to convey Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium recommendations. Sites successfully shared response data, with wide variation in acceptance and follow rates. Results reflect the lack of standardization in PGx alert design. Standards and/or larger studies will be necessary to fully understand PGx impact. This study demonstrated a method for sharing PGx alert response data and established that variation in system design is a significant barrier for multi-site analyses.

Using Pharmacogenomic Testing in Primary Care: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Study

Background

Antidepressants are used by primary care providers to treat a variety of conditions, including (but not limited to) depression and anxiety. A trial-and-error approach is typically used to identify effective therapy, as treatment efficacy and safety can vary based on the response, which is affected by certain gene types. Pharmacokinetic pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing provides phenotypic classification of individuals as poor, intermediate, extensive, and ultrarapid CYP450 metabolizers, providing information for optimal drug selection.

Objective

The objective of this pilot study is to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of PGx testing when used after starting a new antidepressant medication.

Methods

We are conducting a pilot study with physicians from 6 Department of Family Medicine clinics at the University of Michigan who are willing to use PGx test results to manage antidepressant medication use. From enrolled physicians, patients were recruited to participate in a 6-month randomized, wait-list controlled trial in which patient participants newly prescribed an antidepressant had PGx testing and were randomized equally to have the results released to their primary care physician as soon as results were available or after 3 months. Patients were excluded if they had been taking the antidepressant for more than 4 weeks or if they had undergone PGx testing in the past. Physician participants completed a baseline survey to assess demographics, as well as knowledge, feasibility, and acceptability of PGx testing for this population. At the conclusion of the study, physician participants will complete a survey to assess knowledge, satisfaction, feasibility, acceptability, perceived effectiveness, and barriers to widespread adoption of PGx testing. Patient participants will complete a baseline, 3-month, and 6-month assessment, and control patient participants will have an additional 9-month assessment. Data collected will include the reason for antidepressant use, self-reported medication adherence, side effects, patient health questionnaire 8-item depression scale, generalized anxiety disorder 7-item scale, 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey, work status or changes, and physician and emergency department visits. PGx knowledge and perceptions (including acceptability and feasibility) as well as demographic information will also be obtained.

Results

We recruited 23 physician participants between November 2017 and January 2019, and 52 patient participants between January 2018 and April 2019. Currently, all physician and patient participants have been recruited, and we expect data collection to conclude in January 2020.

Conclusions

This study will examine the preliminary effectiveness of PGx testing after treatment initiation and determine the feasibility and acceptability of PGx testing for use in primary care. Through this study, we expect to demonstrate the benefit of PGx testing and lay the foundation for translating this approach into use within primary care.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03270891; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03270891

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

RR1-10.2196/13848

Delivering genomic medicine in the United Kingdom National Health Service: a systematic review and narrative synthesis

PURPOSE

We sought to assess the readiness of the United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service to implement a Genomic Medicine Service. We conducted a systematic literature review to identify what is known about factors related to the implementation of genomic medicine in routine health care and to draw out the implications for the UK and other settings.

METHODS

Relevant studies were identified in Web of Science and PubMed from their date of inception to April 2018. The review included primary research studies using quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods, and systematic reviews. A narrative synthesis was conducted.

RESULTS

Fifty-five studies met our inclusion criteria. The majority of studies reviewed were conducted in the United States. We identified four domains: (1) systems, (2) training and workforce needs, (3) professional attitudes and values, and (4) the role of patients and the public.

CONCLUSION

Mainstreaming genomic medicine into routine clinical practice requires actions at each level of the health-care system. Our synthesis emphasized the organizational, social, and cultural implications of reforming practice, highlighting that demonstration of clinical utility and cost-effectiveness, attending to the compatibility of genomic medicine with clinical principles, and involving and engaging patients are key to successful implementation.

Secondary actionable findings identified by exome sequencing: expected impact on the organisation of care from the study of 700 consecutive tests

With exome/genome sequencing (ES/GS) integrated into the practice of medicine, there is some potential for reporting incidental/secondary findings (IFs/SFs). The issue of IFs/SFs has been studied extensively over the last 4 years. In order to evaluate their implications in care organisation, we retrospectively evaluated, in a cohort of 700 consecutive probands, the frequency and burden of introducing the search for variants in a maximum list of 244 medically actionable genes (genes that predispose carriers to a preventable or treatable disease in childhood/adulthood and genes for genetic counselling issues). We also focused on the 59 PharmGKB class IA/IB pharmacogenetic variants. We also compared the results in different gene lists. We identified variants (likely) affecting protein function in genes for care in 26 cases (3.7%) and heterozygous variants in genes for genetic counselling in 29 cases (3.8%). Mean time for the 700 patients was about 6.3 min/patient for medically actionable genes and 1.3 min/patient for genes for genetic counselling, and a mean time of 37 min/patients for the reinterpreted variants. These results would lead to all 700 pre-test counselling sessions being longer, to 55 post-test genetic consultations and to 27 secondary specialised medical evaluations. ES also detected 42/59 pharmacogenetic variants or combinations of variants in the majority of cases. An extremely low metabolizer status in genes relevant for neurodevelopmental disorders (CYP2C9 and CYP2C19) was found in 57/700 cases. This study provides information regarding the need to anticipate the implementation of genomic medicine, notably the work overload at various steps of the process.

Personal genome testing on physicians improves attitudes on pharmacogenomic approaches

In this era of clinical genomics, the accumulation of knowledge of pharmacogenomics (PGx) is rising dramatically and attempts to utilize it in clinical practice are also increasing. However, this advanced knowledge and information have not yet been sufficiently utilized in the clinical field due to various barriers including physician factors. This study was conducted to evaluate the attitudes of physicians to PGx services by providing them their own genomic data analysis report focusing on PGx. We also tried to evaluate the clinical applicability of whole exome sequencing (WES)-based functional PGx test. In total 88 physicians participated in the study from September 2015 to August 2016. Physicians who agreed to participate in the study were asked to complete a pre-test survey evaluating their knowledge of and attitude toward clinical genomics including PGx. Only those who completed the pre-test survey proceeded to WES and were provided with a personal PGx analysis report in an offline group meeting. Physicians who received these PGx reports were asked to complete a follow-up survey within two weeks. We then analyzed changes in their knowledge and attitude after reviewing their own PGx analysis results through differences in their pre-test and post-test survey responses. In total, 70 physicians (79.5%) completed the pre-test and post-test surveys and attended an off-line seminar to review their personal PGx reports. After physicians reviewed the report, their perception of and attitude towards the PGx domain and genomics significantly changed. Physician’ awareness of the likelihood of occurrence of adverse drug reactions and genetic contribution was also changed significantly. Overall, physicians were very positive about the value and potential of the PGx test but maintained a conservative stance on its actual clinical use. Results revealed that physicians’ perception and attitude to the utility of PGx testing was significantly changed after reviewing their own WES results.

A Practical First Step Using Needs Assessment and a Survey Approach to Implementing a Clinical Pharmacogenomics Consult Service

Introduction

Genetic-guided selection of non-oncologic medications is not commonly practiced in general, and at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Health, specifically. Understanding the unique position of clinicians with respect to clinical pharmacogenetics (PG) at a specific institution or practice is fundamental for implementing a successful PG consult service.

Objectives

To assess clinicians' current practices, needs, and interests with respect to clinical PG at UCSF Health, a large tertiary academic medical center.

Methods

A list of 42 target medications with clinical PG recommendations was complied. Clinical specialties that routinely used the target medications were identified. A 12-question survey focused on practice of PG for target medications was developed. Pharmacists and physicians were surveyed anonymously in several clinical specialties. Survey results were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results

Of the 396 clinicians surveyed, 76 physicians and 59 pharmacists participated, resulting in 27% and 50% average response rates, respectively. The current use of PG in clinical practice for physicians and pharmacists was 29% and 32%, respectively, however this number varied across clinical specialties from 0% to 80%. Of clinicians whom reported they do not currently apply PG, 63% of physicians and 54% of pharmacists expressed interest in integrating PG. However, the level of interest varied from 20% to 100% across specialties. Of the respondents, 64% of physicians and 56% of pharmacists elected to provide contact information to investigators to further discuss their interest related to clinical PG.

Conclusions

While PG is not uniformly practiced at UCSF Health, there is considerable interest in utilizing PG by the respondents. Our approach was successful at identifying clinicians and services interested in PG for specific drug-gene pairs. This work has set a foundation for next steps to advance PG integration at UCSF Health. Clinicians can adopt our approach as preliminary work to build a clinical PG program at their institutions.

User considerations in assessing pharmacogenomic tests and their clinical support tools

Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing is gaining recognition from physicians, pharmacists and patients as a tool for evidence-based medication management. However, seemingly similar PGx testing panels (and PGx-based decision support tools) can diverge in their technological specifications, as well as the genetic factors that determine test specificity and sensitivity, and hence offer different values for users. Reluctance to embrace PGx testing is often the result of unfamiliarity with PGx technology, a lack of knowledge about the availability of curated guidelines/evidence for drug dosing recommendations, and an absence of wide-spread institutional implementation efforts and educational support. Demystifying an often confusing and variable PGx marketplace can lead to greater acceptance of PGx as a standard-of-care practice that improves drug outcomes and provides a lifetime value for patients. Here, we highlight the key underlying factors of a PGx test that should be considered, and discuss the current progress of PGx implementation.

Secondary findings from whole-exome/genome sequencing evaluating stakeholder perspectives. A review of the literature

With the development of next generation sequencing, beyond identifying the cause of manifestations that justified prescription of the test, other information with potential interest for patients and their families, defined as secondary findings (SF), can be provided once patients have given informed consent, in particular when therapeutic and preventive options are available. The disclosure of such findings has caused much debate. The aim of this work was to summarize all opinion-based studies focusing on SF, so as to shed light on the concerns that this question generate. A review of the literature was performed, focusing on all PubMed articles reporting qualitative, quantitative or mixed studies that interviewed healthcare providers, participants, or society regarding this subject. The methodology was carefully analysed, in particular whether or not studies made the distinction between actionable and non-actionable SF, in a clinical or research context. From 2010 to 2016, 39 articles were compiled. A total of 14,868 people were interviewed (1259 participants, 6104 healthcare providers, 7505 representatives of society). When actionable and non-actionable SF were distinguished (20 articles), 92% of respondents were keen to have results regarding actionable SF (participants: 88%, healthcare providers: 86%, society: 97%), against 70% (participants: 83%, healthcare providers: 62%, society: 73%) for non-actionable SF. These percentages were slightly lower in the specific situation of children probands. For respondents, the notion of the «patient's choice» is crucial. For healthcare providers, the importance of defining policies for SF among diagnostic lab, learning societies and/or countries is outlined, in particular regarding the content and extension of the list of actionable genes to propose, the modalities of information, and the access to information about adult-onset diseases in minors. However, the existing literature should be taken with caution, since most articles lack a clear definition of SF and actionability, and referred to hypothetical scenarios with limited information to respondents. Studies conducted by multidisciplinary teams involving patients with access to results are sadly lacking, in particular in the medium term after the results have been given. Such studies would feed the debate and make it possible to measure the impact of such findings and their benefit-risk ratio.

Benefits of and Barriers to Pharmacogenomics-Guided Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder

Antidepressants have reduced the symptom burden for many Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients, but drug-related side effects and treatment resistance continue to present major challenges. Pharmacogenomics represents one approach to enhance antidepressant efficacy and avoid adverse reactions, but concerns remain with regard to the overall "value equation," and several barriers must be overcome to achieve the full potential of MDD pharmacogenomics.

Clinical Implementation of Pharmacogenetic Testing in a Hospital of the Spanish National Health System: Strategy and Experience Over 3 Years

In 2014, we established a pharmacogenetics unit with the intention of facilitating the integration of pharmacogenetic testing into clinical practice. This unit was centered around two main ideas: i) individualization of clinical recommendations, and ii) preemptive genotyping in risk populations. Our unit is based on the design and validation of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray, which has allowed testing of 180 SNPs associated with drug response (PharmArray), and clinical consultation regarding the results. Herein, we report our experience in integrating pharmacogenetic testing into our hospital and we present the results of the 2,539 pharmacogenetic consultation requests received over the past 3 years in our unit. The results demonstrate the feasibility of implementing pharmacogenetic testing in clinical practice within a national health system.

Pharmacogenomic studies of hypertension: paving the way for personalized antihypertensive treatment

Introduction

Increasing clinical evidence supports the implementation of genotyping for anti-hypertensive drug dosing and selection. Despite robust evidence gleaned from clinical trials, the translation of genotype guided therapy into clinical practice faces significant challenges. Challenges to implementation include the small effect size of individual variants and the polygenetic nature of antihypertensive drug response, a lack of expert consensus on dosing guidelines even without genetic information, and proper definition of major antihypertensive drug toxicities. Balancing clinical benefit with cost, while overcoming these challenges, remains crucial.

Areas covered

This review presents the most impactful clinical trials and cohorts which continue to inform and guide future investigation. Variants were selected from among those identified in the Pharmacogenomic Evaluation of Antihypertensive Responses (PEAR), the Genetic Epidemiology of Responses to Antihypertensives study (GERA), the Genetics of Drug Responsiveness in Essential Hypertension (GENRES) study, the SOPHIA study, the Milan Hypertension Pharmacogenomics of hydro-chlorothiazide (MIHYPHCTZ), the Campania Salute Network, the International Verapamil SR Trandolapril Study (INVEST), the Nordic Diltiazem (NORDIL) Study, GenHAT, and others.

Expert Commentary

The polygenic nature of antihypertensive drug response is a major barrier to clinical implementation. Further studies examining clinical effectiveness are required to support broad-based implementation of genotype-based prescribing in medical practice.

Pharmacogenetics: An Important Part of Drug Development with A Focus on Its Application

Since the human genome project in 2003, the view of personalized medicine to improve diagnosis and cure diseases at the molecular level became more real. Sequencing the human genome brought some benefits in medicine such as early detection of diseases with a genetic predisposition, treating patients with rare diseases, the design of gene therapy and the understanding of pharmacogenetics in the metabolism of drugs. This review explains the concepts of pharmacogenetics, polymorphisms, mutations, variations, and alleles, and how this information has helped us better understand the metabolism of drugs. Multiple resources are presented to promote reducing the gap between scientists, physicians, and patients in understanding the use and benefits of pharmacogenetics. Some of the most common clinical examples of genetic variants and how pharmacogenetics was used to determine treatment options for patients having these variants were discussed. Finally, we evaluated some of the challenges of implementing pharmacogenetics in a clinical setting and proposed actions to be taken to make pharmacogenetics a standard diagnostic tool in personalized medicine.

The challenges of implementing pharmacogenomic testing in the clinic

INTRODUCTION

Pharmacogenomic testing has the potential to greatly benefit patients by enabling personalization of medication management, ensuring better efficacy and decreasing the risk of side effects. However, to fully realize the potential of pharmacogenomic testing, there are several important issues that must be addressed. Areas covered: In this expert review we discuss current challenges impacting the implementation of pharmacogenomic testing in the clinical practice. We emphasize issues related to testing methods, reporting of the results, test selection, clinical interpretation of the results, cost-effectiveness, and the long-term use of pharmacogenomic results in clinical practice. We identify opportunities and future directions to facilitate clinical implementation. Expert commentary: Several key elements are necessary to optimally integrate pharmacogenomic testing into clinical practice. Collaborative efforts among laboratories are needed to improve standardization of testing and reporting of the results. Clinicians need educational opportunities to improve understanding of which test to order and how to interpret the results. The electronic health records and other clinical systems need to improve their storage of the pharmacogenomics test results and interoperability to facilitate the use of clinically actionable results to improve patient care.

HLA-associated drug hypersensitivity and the prediction of adverse drug reactions

Adverse drug reactions are an important cause of morbidity and mortality and constitute the leading reason of drug withdrawal from the market. Besides classical reactions that are related to pharmacologic activity of the drug, some reactions are unpredictable, not dose dependent, and seem to occur in genetically predisposed individuals. The majority of this reaction is immunologically driven and they are referred to as hypersensitivity reactions. A growing number of studies provided evidences that specific HLA alleles increase the risk of developing hypersensitivity drug reactions. In this context, drug hypersensitivities that have more robust pharmacogenetic data include abacavir hypersensitivity syndrome and severe cutaneous adverse reactions induced by allopurinol and carbamazepine.

Primary care physician experiences with integrated pharmacogenomic testing in a community health system

Aim: To explore primary care physicians’ views of the utility and delivery of direct access to pharmacogenomics (PGx) testing in a community health system. Methods: This descriptive study assessed the perspectives of 15 healthcare providers utilizing qualitative individual interviews. Results: Three main themes emerged: perceived value and utility of PGx testing; challenges to implementation in practice; and provider as well as patient needs. Conclusion: While providers in this study viewed benefits of PGx testing as avoiding side effects, titrating doses more quickly, improving shared decision-making and providing psychological reassurance, challenges will need to be addressed such as privacy concerns, cost, insurance coverage and understanding the complexity of PGx test results.

The Innovative Canadian Pharmacogenomic Screening Initiative in Community Pharmacy (ICANPIC) study

OBJECTIVES

The safety and efficacy of medications can vary significantly between patients as a result of genetic variability. As genomic screening technologies become more widely available, pharmacists are ideally suited to use such tools to optimize medication therapy management. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of implementing personalized medication services into community pharmacy practice and to assess the number of drug therapy problems identified as a result of pharmacogenomic screening.

SETTING

The study was conducted in 2 busy urban community pharmacies, operating under the brand Shoppers Drug Mart, in Toronto, Ontario.

PRACTICE INNOVATION

Pharmacists offered pharmacogenomic screening as part of their professional services program. Eligible patients received a buccal swab followed by DNA analysis with the use of Pillcheck. Pillcheck is a genotyping assay that translates genomic data and generates a personalized evidence-based report that provides insight into patients' inherited drug metabolic profile. After receiving the report, pharmacists invited patients back to the clinic for interpretation of the results. Clinically significant drug therapy problems were identified and recommendations for medication optimization forwarded to the primary care physician.

RESULTS

One hundred patients were enrolled in the study. Average age was 56.7 years, and patients were taking a mean of 4.9 chronic medications. Pharmacists cited the most common reasons for testing as ineffective therapy (43.0%), to address an adverse reaction (32.6%), and to guide initiation of therapy (10.4%). An average of 1.3 drug therapy problems directly related to pharmacogenomic testing were identified per patient. Pharmacist recommendations included change in therapy (60.3%), dose adjustment (13.2%), discontinuation of a drug (4.4%), and increased monitoring (22.1%).

CONCLUSION

These results highlight the readiness of community pharmacists to adopt pharmacogenomic screening into practice and their ability to leverage this novel technology to positively affect medication therapy management. Community pharmacists are ideally suited to both offer personalized medication services and interpret genomic results.

Healthcare provider education to support integration of pharmacogenomics in practice: the eMERGE Network experience

Ten organizations within the Electronic Medical Records and Genomics Network developed programs to implement pharmacogenomic sequencing and clinical decision support into clinical settings. Recognizing the importance of informed prescribers, a variety of strategies were used to incorporate provider education to support implementation. Education experiences with pharmacogenomics are described within the context of each organization's prior involvement, including the scope and scale of implementation specific to their Electronic Medical Records and Genomics projects. We describe common and distinct education strategies, provide exemplars and share challenges. Lessons learned inform future perspectives. Future pharmacogenomics clinical implementation initiatives need to include funding toward implementing provider education and evaluating outcomes.

Advancing precision medicine in healthcare: addressing implementation challenges to increase pharmacogenetic testing in the clinical setting

The incorporation of precision medicine into the clinical setting is becoming increasingly feasible with the availability of more affordable genetic sequencing technologies and successful genetic associations with phenotypes, especially in the pharmacogenomic field. Although substantial progress has been made to ensure successful uptake of pharmacogenomic testing in the clinical setting already, many challenges still remain for sustainable implementation. The importance of pharmacogenomic information in patient care, identifying key barriers, and proposed solutions for advancing pharmacogenomic implementation will be discussed.

Pharmacogenomic findings from clinical whole exome sequencing of diagnostic odyssey patients

BACKGROUND

We characterized the pharmacogenomics (PGx) results received by diagnostic odyssey patients as secondary findings during clinical whole exome sequencing (WES) testing as a part of their care in Mayo Clinic's Individualized Medicine Clinic to determine the potential benefits and limitations to this cohort.

METHODS

WES results on 94 patients included a subset of PGx variants in CYP2C19,CYP2C9, and VKORC1 if identified in the patient. Demographic, phenotypic, and medication usage information was abstracted from patient medical data. A pharmacist interpreted the PGx results in the context of the patients' current medication use and made therapeutic recommendations.

RESULTS

The majority was young with a median age of 10 years old, had neurological involvement in the disease presentation (71%), and was currently taking medications (90%). Of the 94 PGx-evaluated patients, 91% had at least one variant allele reported and 20% had potential immediate implications on current medication use.

CONCLUSION

Due to the disease complexity and medication needs of diagnostic odyssey patients, there may be immediate benefit obtained from early life PGx testing for many and most will likely find benefit in the future. These results require conscientious interpretation and management to be actionable for all prescribing physicians throughout the lifetime of the patient.

Participant-perceived understanding and perspectives on pharmacogenomics: the Mayo Clinic RIGHT protocol (Right Drug, Right Dose, Right Time)

Purpose

To examine predictors of understanding preemptive CYP2D6 pharmacogenomic test results and to identify key features required to improve future educational efforts of preemptive pharmacogenomic testing.

Methods

1010 participants were surveyed after receiving preemptive CYP2D6 pharmacogenomic test results.

Results

Eighty-six percent (n=869) of patients responded. Responders were 98% white, 55% female, 57% had four or more years of post-secondary education, and aged 58.9±5.5 years on average. Among responders, 26% reported they only somewhat understood their results and 7% reported they did not understand them at all. Only education predicted understanding. The most common suggestion for improvement was the use of layperson's terms when reporting results. In addition, responders suggested results should be personalized by referring to medications that they were currently taking. Of those reporting imperfect drug adherence in the past, most (91%) reported they would be more likely to take medication as prescribed if pharmacogenomic information was used to help select the drug or dose.

Conclusion

Despite great efforts to simplify pharmacogenomic results (or because of them), about one-third of responders did not understand their results. Future efforts need to provide more examples and tailor results to the individual. Incorporation of pharmacogenomics is likely to improve medication adherence.