Knowledge and understanding of pharmacogenomic testing among patients and health care professionals: A scoping review

Public Attitudes toward Pharmacogenomic Testing and Establishing a Statewide Pharmacogenomics Database in the State of Minnesota

The clinical adoption and implementation of pharmacogenomics (PGx) beyond academic medical centers remains slow, restricting the general population from benefitting from this important component of personalized medicine. As an initial step in the statewide initiative of PGx implementation in Minnesota, we engaged community members and assessed attitudes towards PGx testing and acceptability of establishing a secure statewide PGx database for clinical and research use among Minnesota residents. Data was collected from 808 adult attendees at the 2021 Minnesota State Fair through an electronic survey. Eighty-four percent of respondents felt comfortable getting a PGx test for clinical care. Most respondents trusted health professionals (78.2%) and researchers (73.0%) to keep their PGx data private. The majority expressed their support and interest in participating in a statewide PGx database for clinical and research use (64–72%). Higher acceptability of the statewide PGx database was associated with younger age, higher education, higher health literacy, having health insurance, and prior genetic testing. The study sample representing Minnesota residents expressed high acceptability of receiving PGx testing and willingness to participate in PGx data sharing for clinical and research use. Community support and engagement are needed to advance PGx implementation and research on the state scale.

The New Precision Stewards?

The precision health era is likely to reduce and respond to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Our stewardship and precision efforts share terminology, seeking to deliver the “right drug, at the right dose, at the right time.” Already, rapid diagnostic testing, phylogenetic surveillance, and real-time outbreak response provide just a few examples of molecular advances we dub “precision stewardship.” However, the AMR causal factors range from the molecular to that of global health policy. Mirroring the cross-sectoral nature of AMR science, the research addressing the ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of AMR ranges across academic scholarship. As the rise of AMR is accompanied by an escalating sense of its moral and social significance, what is needed is a parallel field of study. In this paper, we offer a gap analysis of this terrain, or an agenda for “the ELSI of precision stewardship.” In the first section, we discuss the accomplishments of a multi-decade U.S. national investment in ELSI research attending to the advances in human genetics. In the next section, we provide an overview of distinct ELSI topics pertinent to AMR. The distinctiveness of an ELSI agenda for precision stewardship suggests new opportunities for collaboration to build the stewardship teams of the future.

Parental understanding and attitudes following pharmacogenomic testing for pediatric neuropsychiatric patients

Aim: This study explores parental understanding and attitudes around pharmacogenomic results in their child(ren). Patients and methods: In-depth interviews with parents whose child(ren) had received a pharmacogenomic testing panel for management of neuropsychiatric medications were completed. Interviews were analyzed for themes and accuracy of understanding of results. Results: In 18 parents interviewed, 49/63 (78%) of statements made regarding results were accurate. Differences in understanding were seen by clinic, number of medications and result type. Parents expected results to guide prescribing and perceived the greatest utility in results that could impact current care. Results predicting normal drug metabolism may create mixed feelings. Conclusion: Parents perceive utility in pharmacogenomic testing for their children. Challenges exist in understanding probabilistic and multifactorial information about pharmacogenomic results.

Communicating unexpected pharmacogenomic results to biobank contributors: A focus group study

OBJECTIVES

The goals of this study were to explore 1) the impact of returning unexpected pharmacogenomic (PGx) results to biobank contributors, and 2) participant views about improving communication.

METHODS

We conducted a qualitative focus group study with biobank participants (N = 54) who were notified by mail of an individual research result indicating increased risk for adverse events associated with the common cancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). We employed a framework approach for analysis.

RESULTS

Our results revealed three themes illustrating participants' questions and uncertainty, especially regarding how to share results with health providers and family members, and remember them over time. Participants valued results for themselves and others, and for the future of medicine. Risk perception was framed by health identity. "Toxicity narratives," or familiarity with another's adverse reaction to chemotherapy, increased the sense of importance participants reported.

CONCLUSION

These focus group results highlight research participant remaining questions and high valuation of PGx results, even when unexpected.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

We identify PGx research participants' needs for clear clinical translation messaging that attends to health identity, pragmatics of sharing information with family members, and patient perceptions of barriers to transferring research results to a clinical context.