What is next in pharmacogenomics? Translating it to clinical practice

Abstract

Pharmacogenomics (PG) holds promise for transforming medical therapeutics but the details of how the promise will become reality are still vague. In this article, we focus on the role that laboratory medicine, as a discipline, might play in transitioning the application of pharmacogenomics into the healthcare system and begin to frame a perspective on how PG may be viewed in this context. Development of clinical diagnostic tests usually evolves as a continuum of information starting with the discovery of a potential biological marker through to its routine use in clinical practice. This process has traditionally been rooted in the practice of laboratory medicine and, importantly, includes the development of testing strategies to optimize the predictive value of single or a combination of biological markers. In this context, we also discuss a perspective on some future strategies that may prove useful in advancing the application of PG, including the need for an evidenced-based approach and the potential role of proteomics as a means to drive more comprehensive strategies.