Science to Practice
Latest highlights on drug safety and efficacy

16.4.2026

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) can clarify why individuals respond differently to medications and why some experience adverse drug reactions. Although clinical guidelines such as those from CPIC (U.S.) and DPWG (Dutch) provide recommendations for genotype- or phenotype-informed prescribing, putting these frameworks into routine care is still difficult. Key barriers include standardised communication of results and integration of information into electronic health record (EHR) systems.

The value of pharmacogenomics lies in its ability to translate genetic insight into actionable prescribing decisions. Integrated into clinical workflows, it enables safer and more individualised treatment.

In a cohort of 255 patients, nearly all (95%) carried at least one variant associated with an actionable (according to CPIC/DPWG guidelines) gene variant. The most frequently affected medications included statins, 5-fluorouracil, irinotecan, and pantoprazole. Clinically relevant PGx-based guidance was issued for 21.5% of patients, and in three quarters of these cases (75.5%) hospital physicians adjusted therapy accordingly.

The program also detected 57 clinically significant drug–drug interactions, with pharmacogenetically relevant drugs involved in about one fifth (21%) of cases. Following discharge, general practitioners continued the optimised regimen in 77% of patients whose medication was changed during hospitalisation. Around 10% of patients discussed their PGx results with their general practitioner. General practitioners expressed positive attitudes toward using PGx in future prescribing while highlighting the need for additional training.

Overall, the findings suggest that proactive PGx testing can be integrated successfully into hospital care, is well received by both hospital clinicians and general practitioners, and that embedding results in the EHR is a practical strategy to support wider uptake of precision prescribing (1).

Explore Medbase’s dedicated pharmacogenetic database, Pgxbase, for more information on the impact of genetic variants on drug safety and efficacy.

News produced by Medbase Medical Team

References

1. Tremmel R, Schreeck F, Jaeger S, Schricker S, Schaeffeler E, Igel S, Steinberger D, Pagitz M, Latus J, Ketteler M, Bühl K, Dahlke MH, Kopp HG, Schwab M. Clinical Implementation of Pharmacogenomics and Drug-Drug Interaction Screening in a German Academic Teaching Hospital and Outpatient Follow-Up. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2026 Jan;119(1):241-254. doi: 10.1002/cpt.70083. Epub 2025 Oct 11. PMID: 41074844; PMCID: PMC12746526.