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. 2013 Aug 1;4(4):155-169.
doi: 10.1177/2042098613485595.

Pharmacogenetic testing: Current Evidence of Clinical Utility

Jivan Moaddeb  1 , Susanne B Haga
Affiliations

Pharmacogenetic testing: Current Evidence of Clinical Utility

Jivan Moaddeb et al. Ther Adv Drug Saf. .

Abstract

Over the last decade, the number of clinical pharmacogenetic tests has steadily increased as understanding of the role of genes in drug response has grown. However, uptake of these tests has been slow, due in large part to the lack of robust evidence demonstrating clinical utility. We review the evidence behind four pharmacogenetic tests and discuss the barriers and facilitators to uptake: 1) warfarin (drug safety and efficacy); 2) clopidogrel (drug efficacy); 3) codeine (drug efficacy); and 4) abacavir (drug safety). Future efforts should be directed toward addressing these issues and considering additional approaches to generating evidence basis to support clinical use of pharmacogenetic tests.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest in preparing this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
PubMed search of clinical trials for pharmacogenetic testing compared with clinical trials of drugs for heart disease and cardiovascular disease between 2002 and 2011. Search parameters: randomized controlled trial (RCTs) or clinical trials + RCTs, pharmacogenetics, between 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2011. Search conducted on 16 April 2012.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Timeline of major developments of pharmacogenetic testing for the drugs clopidogrel, warfarin (top), abacavir and codeine (bottom). CYP, cytochrome P450 enzyme; FDA, US Federal Drug Administration; PPI, proton pump inhibitor.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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