Pharmacogenomics knowledge within Neurology: A brief survey amongst physicians

Abstract

Pharmacogenomics has emerged as a tool to optimise treatment. Many neurologists encounter drugs with pharmacogenomic associations with unclear guidelines. We therefore aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and barriers to implementing pharmacogenomics in clinical practice within a neurology unit. We developed and administered a survey on pharmacogenomics to physicians working in a neurology unit. Three drug-gene pairs clinically relevant to neurology were presented as case scenarios to assess physicians’ perceived competency, attitudes, and risks towards pharmacogenomics. Thirty-two (27.4%) physicians responded to the survey. Respondents were most confident about activities involving the HLA-B*15:02 test, followed by the CYP2C19 test, and lastly the CYP2C9 test. However, perceived competency in drug-drug-gene interactions was consistently low for all three tests. Referring to the product information leaflet ranked highest in usefulness, followed by local practice guidelines. In conclusion, local clinical guidelines and training on the clinical applications of pharmacogenomics are important to facilitate the implementation of pharmacogenomics.