Using genetics to personalise prescriptions
We’ve known for a long time that different people respond to certain drugs to very different extents, but now cheap DNA testing could make these disparities a thing of the past, as Ian Le Guillou reports
Pharmacogenomics is concerned with the interaction between genes and drugs. For example, the G6PD gene is essential for the body to process the anti-malarial drug primaquine. Since the first pharmacogenomic test became widely available in the 1990s, the growing pharmacogenomics community have established over 400 gene–drug interactions. These are cases where common genetic variants can alter a person’s response to treatment, and changes in dosage or medication might be needed. Outside of a few narrow cases, however, these variants are not routinely tested for.
Almost all of us have at least one genetic variant that affects how we process certain drugs. Although it is widely accepted by the medical community that genetics play a role in how patients respond to treatments, it is still rarely considered when prescribing. This is despite the potential for pharmacogenomics testing to significantly reduce side effects and improve treatment for patients. Healthcare staff could soon be confronted with these tests, however, as the evidence mounts for broader implementation and patients take matters into their own hands.