Kuala lumpur: The human body is marvellously complex and so is the science of treatment. Today, the field of medicine has become ever more targeted and specialised, with pharmacogenomics providing greater insights into therapy than ever before.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, pharmacogenomics comprises three parts, with pharmaco referring to medicines and how they work on the body; -gen, which refers to an individual's genetic makeup; and -omics, which is to study all the genes on a comprehensive scale. Essentially, pharmacogenomics is the study of the genes that might affect how an individual responds to medicine. The study of genomics is well established but was largely limited in the past due to the high cost of gene sequencing technology.
While it is not a new area, pharmacogenomics has been rapidly growing and evolving over the past decade as technology and equipment have become more affordable and accessible. Although not yet a gazetted medical specialty, international and local bodies are already exploring its potential as a gamechanger in medicine.
Currently, any medical professional may pursue further study in this area, with pharmacists particularly well-placed to delve into pharmacogenomics due to their training in how medicines work and how people respond to them. Pharmacists can interpret genetic test results to guide the use of medicine, tailor medication regimes based on a patient's genomic findings, advise doctors on the right medications and dosage, and help patients understand their test results.
Based on the principles of '5 rights'-the right patient, the right drug, the right time, the right dose, and the right route-pharmacogenomics is set to change the way healthcare professionals practice medicine. With prior knowledge of their patients' genetic makeup, doctors can prescribe medicine with more confidence, tailoring treatment plans that are more suitable for their patients.
This reduces the likelihood of side effects, saves time and expense for the patient in trying different drugs or combinations, and improves outcomes by ensuring they receive the medications that work best for them. Internationally, pharmacogenomics is already making waves in areas such as cancer therapy, cardiology, psychiatry, infectious disease, and pain management.
In Malaysia, some community pharmacists and general practitioners already recommend genetic testing, followed by blood drawn and sent to a laboratory for genetic sequencing. These services are likely to become more widely available as interest grows among private and public sectors. Malaysia has seen a stakeholder meeting organized by the National Institutes of Health and the first Malaysia Pharmacogenomics Summit in 2024 to discuss research, pilot projects, development of guidelines and policies, and training.
However, there is still a lot of groundwork to be done before its local application. Malaysia needs to build its body of scientific data relevant to its population, as most available data is based on Western populations. Other considerations include access and affordability, as genetic sequencing comes with a higher cost compared to conventional blood tests.
On a national level, ethical and regulatory frameworks, alongside clinical guidelines and protocols, are essential to guide its use, protect patients' privacy, and prevent genetic data misuse. Moving forward, integration of pharmacogenomics into medical and pharmacy curricula, practical training on interpreting genetic test results, and the development of tools to integrate pharmacogenomics into the prescribing framework are necessary steps.
With growing education and awareness among healthcare professionals and the public, Malaysia can look forward to improved application of pharmacogenomics in its medical landscape.