Pharmacogenomics (PGx) uses an individual’s genetic information to identify the right drug at the right dose at the right time. PGx information can maximize the therapeutic efficacy of the medications and prevent adverse drug reactions by identifying how specific genetic variations might affect individual responses to medications. QGP is leading a national initiative to implement PGx in the Qatari healthcare settings to improve medication safety and efficacy and lower medical costs. This involves drugs related to national priority disorders including cancer and cardiovascular conditions. The following studies initiated are:
- Clopidogrel guided therapy
- Warfarin guided therapy
- Statin guided therapy
- Cancer pharmacogenomics
Future vision
The future plan is to implement preemptive PGx testing that would fit well with the current movement toward a patient-centered care model supported by recent healthcare reform in Qatar. The ultimate aim of QGP/PGx projects is to develop the necessary infrastructure including process and system integration components in addition to building bioinformatics capacity for interpretation genomic sequences and producing clinical-grade reports for clinically actionable (CPIC Level A) medications.