Abstract

Pharmacogenetic tests allow medications to be tailored to individual patients to improve efficacy and reduce drug toxicity. In 2005, the International Society of Pharmacogenomics (ISP) made recommendations for undergraduate medical teaching in pharmacogenetics. We aimed to establish the quantity and scope of this in British medical schools. An electronic survey was sent to all British medical schools. Nineteen out of 34 (56%) medical schools responded. Sixteen of the 19 (84%) respondents provided pharmacogenetics teaching, usually 1-2 h in total. Only four (21%) medical schools offered the four or more hours of teaching recommended by the ISP. However, 10 of 16 (63%) schools felt the amount of pharmacogenetic teaching offered was sufficient. The quantity of undergraduate teaching of pharmacogenetics is low. However, a majority of UK medical schools teach it, covering a broad scope of elements. It is encouraging that future clinicians are being provided with the knowledge to deliver pharmacogenetics into clinical practice.

Highlights

  • Pharmacogenetic tests allow medicines to be tailored to individual patients

  • Where problem based learning (PBL) was a major component of the teaching, two responders commented that precisely what was studied by the students was difficult to determine

  • To address the future professional need at an undergraduate level, one of the International Society of Pharmacogenomics (ISP) education forum’s recommendations was that a minimum of 4 h of undergraduate pharmacogenetic teaching should be provided to medical students (Gurwitz et al 2005)

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Summary

Introduction

Pharmacogenetic tests allow medicines to be tailored to individual patients. There are a growing number of examples of pharmacogenetic tests used in clinical practice (Lesko 2007; Giacomini et al 2007). They potentially allow identification of individuals in whom a particular treatment is likely to be effective or avoidance of this treatment in those who have an increased chance of a lifethreatening adverse reaction to a particular medication. Newman Medical Genetics, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK

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