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Review
. 2021 Sep;22(14):927-937.
doi: 10.2217/pgs-2021-0044. Epub 2021 Sep 15.

Engaging pharmacogenomics in pain management and opioid selection

Affiliations
Review

Engaging pharmacogenomics in pain management and opioid selection

David R Bright et al. Pharmacogenomics. 2021 Sep.

Abstract

Opioid misuse and mismanagement has been a public health crisis for several years. Pharmacogenomics (PGx) has been proposed as another tool to enhance opioid selection and optimization, with recent studies demonstrating successful implementation and outcomes. However, broad engagement with PGx for opioid management is presently limited. The purpose of this article is to highlight a series of barriers to PGx implementation within the specific context of opioid management. Areas of advancement needed for more robust pharmacogenomic engagement with opioids will be discussed, including clinical and economic research needs, education and training needs, policy and public health considerations, as well as legal and ethical issues. Continuing efforts to address these issues may help to further operationalize PGx toward improving opioid use.

Keywords: opioids; pain; pain management; pharmacogenetics; pharmacogenomics.

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Conflict of interest statement

Financial & competing interests disclosure

D Bright has conducted funded research with commercial pharmacogenetics companies and has a patent pending. N Petry is a co-investigator for RFA-HG-17-008 (PI: J Peterson/site PI: RA Wilke), an NIH/NHGRI Administrative Supplement: A Depression and Opioid Pragmatic Trial (ADOPT-PGx), which looks at gene-based dosing vs. standard of care for post-operative opioids. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Clinical decision support examples.
© 2021 Epic Systems Corporation.

References

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