The Pharmacogenomic Era in Asia: Potential Roles and Challenges for Asian Pharmacists

Yin Fai Lee,Vivian Wai Yan Lui,Ritchie Ching Chi Kwok,Ian Chi Kei Wong

doi:10.4172/2153-0645.1000164

Yin Fai Lee, Vivian Wai Yan Lui + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4172/2153-0645.1000164

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Abstract

Personalized medicine through Pharmacogenomics: choosing the right drug, and the right dose, for the right patients based on patient’s genetic makeup-is gradually being realised in Western countries. Yet, the practice of pharmacogenomics in Asian countries lags behind that of the West, but the medical needs for pharmacogenomics are expected to surge as better patient care is demanded in Asia. As next-generation sequencing technology advances quickly, previous technical challenges for performing pharmacogenomic studies or practices in Asia have been mostly resolved. What is lacking in Asia is an effective model of community-wide pharmacogenomics. On the delivery front, pharmacists, the drug and dosing professionals, can potentially be the main healthcare providers for pharmacogenomic services in Asia. The first large “Genomics for Precision Drug Therapy in the Community Pharmacy” in Canada, which is close to its completion, has successfully identified community pharmacists as key contact professionals for smooth facilitation and implementation of pharmacogenomics for personalized medication. It is anticipated that Asian pharmacists, with appropriate training, can have the capacity to provide expert pharmacogenomic supports for both physicians and patients in Asia.

Highlights

Personalized medicine through Pharmacogenomics: choosing the right drug, and the right dose, for the right patients based on patient’s genetic makeup-is gradually being realised in Western countries
In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug genetic biomarker drug list has detailed the pharmacogenomic-specific indications for various drugs used for cancers, diabetes, psychiatric conditions, cardiology, infection, etc
Retrospective case-control studies have found that an inherited variant of the HLA-B gene, HLA-B*1502, which is common in Chinese, is a marker for carbamazepine-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) in

Summary

Introduction

“Choosing the right drug, and the right dose, for the right patients” based on patient’s genetic profile has become a key concept for patient care. In Asia, it is clear that a large number of well-trained experts in NGS, and gene-drug knowledge, especially on those genetic information that are relevant for Asian populations, are much needed in order to support a large population of Asian patients demanding pharmacogenomic care. Both the Western world and Asia are facing the same challenge of “how to run pharmacogenomics with high practicality in the hospital or community settings?” Several survey studies were carried out in Western countries to investigate what models were the best for the implementation of pharmacogenomics for the community, and different models have been proposed [13,14]. As suggested by the emerging models in Canada and the UK, pharmacists, with some pharmacogenomic training, can effectively take up a healthcare professional role and provide a large workforce to provide pharmacogenetics care with professional counselling to the patients and public in Asia

Conclusion

Conflict of Interest