Pharmacogenomics in Clinical Practice: Educating Nurses and Integrating Lab Data

Abstract

Pharmacogenomics is the study of how genes affect a person’s response to drugs. It utilizes information about a person’s genes to inform the selection of medications and their doses. Pharmacy providers are increasingly being asked to advise on pharmacogenomic matters based on genetic testing ordered by prescribers or patients themselves. Pharmacogenomic education is essential for training competent providers and helping them remain up to date.

Now, major medical laboratory companies have pursued partnerships with well-known labs to offer pharmacogenomics testing services directly to the patient and prescriber via advertising to primary care providers and patients. Furthermore, testing has began to be offered through the genomic profile matched to the cancer via a molecular tumor board. In oncology, this testing would result in pharmacogenomic data as well, which could be even more complex considering the number of medications chosen. Pharmacogenomic test results can impact a medication that the patient was previously taking and whether it should be stopped, optimized, or potentially replaced.

Integration of pharmacogenomic prescribing into clinical practice remains variable, and integration into some practice settings or chronic disease states is more challenging. Considering the number of available pharmacogenomic-tested medications combined with the number of medications currently prescribed, the number of patients treated, and the current understanding of pharmacogenomics, it is clear that such an endeavor is a daunting task for current healthcare providers with likely inadequate informatics and familiarity with pharmacogenomics (W. Guy et al., 2020). However, if each provider pursued education and training, this patient care enhancement could be achieved. Identifying best practices for educating health care professionals and trainees across disciplines on pharmacogenomics is vitally important for the continued growth and sustainability of pharmacogenomic services.