Pharmacogenomic testing could help reduce adverse drug reactions in the UK

Pharmacogenomic testing could help reduce adverse drug reactions in the UK

A new study from Queen Mary University of London found that 9% of all reported adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reported to the UK medicines regulator are associated with medications where the risk of side effects depends in part on the patient's genes. Of this subset of ADRs, 75% were linked to just three genes that affect the body's medications. Pre-prescription genetic testing can therefore avoid ADRs in these cases.

Over the last 60 years, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) yellow card scheme has recorded over a million reports of side effects - also known as adverse drug reactions (ADRs) - for medicines. Previous studies have shown that more than 99% of individuals have genetic variants that could lead to an adverse reaction to certain medications. In some cases, these reactions can be serious and lead to further health problems, longer hospital stays, or even death. The cost of ADRs to the NHS is estimated to be more than £2 billion per year.

A new study published today in PLOS Medicine and led by Dr. Led by Emma Magavern of Queen Mary University of London, the study analyzed over 1.3 million ADR reports submitted to the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme. 115,789 (9%) were found to be associated with drugs for which the risk of adverse events can be modified using pharmacogenomics (PGX) information (PGX) to guide prescribing. Of these, 75% were associated with three genes that affect the way an individual drug is processed (CYP2C19, CYP2D6, SLCO1B1).

The type of medications that showed the highest volume of ADRs that could be prevented through personalized prescription with genetic information were treatments for psychiatric disorders (47%) and cardiovascular problems (24%). The study also found that patients with ADRs that could be mitigated by PGX were more likely to be male, older, and to have side effects that were serious but not fatal.

Clinical studies have shown that using genetic information to prevent prescribing preventive prescribing, e.g. B. adjusting the dose or selecting different medications, ADRs and improving patient outcomes. This research highlights the potential to integrate pharmacogenomic testing into clinical practice to make medications safer and more effective for patients.

Dr. Emma Magavern, NIHR Clinical Academic Lecturer at Queen Mary's Center for Clinical Pharmacology and Precision Medicine, who led the study, said: "It is important to understand the landscape of adverse reactions reported over the last half century to elucidate the implications of the prospective use of genetic testing to personalize regulation in the UK."

Professor Sir Mark Caulfield, Vice-Principal (Health) at Queen Mary and co-author, said: "This is the largest analysis of the potential role of pharmacogenomics in adverse reactions from a national spontaneous reporting system. It suggests that 9% of these reports relate to our genetic make-up make-up make-up misc make-misc make measurement of 9% of these reports relate to the person. Prevention of preventive testing for known genes that interact with drugs.”

This study shows how reports of suspected side effects of the yellow card scheme can help us better understand and prevent serious side effects, including those associated with genetic factors. The MHRA Yellow Card program collects reports of suspected adverse reactions from patients, public and medical professionals and plays an important role in monitoring the safety of medicines in the UK. This research also reinforces the importance of our pioneering yellow card biobank to Genomics England, which will help us take a more personalized and proactive approach to patient safety and make medicines safer for everyone. “

June Raine, MHRA Executive Director

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