Healthcare provider and patient perspectives on the implementation of pharmacogenetic-guided treatment in routine clinical practice

Abstract

Objective This study aims to understand patient and healthcare provider perspectives on the integration and application of pharmacogenetics (PGx) testing in routine clinical practice. Methods Two anonymous online surveys were distributed globally for healthcare providers and patients respectively on the Qualtrics platform (version 3.24). The surveys were distributed through social platforms, email, and posters with QR codes from 27 October 2023 to 7 March 2024. The surveys evaluated participant familiarity with PGx, previous experience with PGx testing, perceived implementation challenges, and opinions on point-of-care (PoC) PGx testing devices. Results This study collected 78 responses from healthcare providers and 98 responses from patients. The results revealed that 64% of healthcare providers had some level of familiarity with PGx, however, PGx testing in clinical practice was low. The primary challenges identified by healthcare providers included limited access to testing and lack of knowledge on PGx test interpretation. In contrast, 52% of patient respondents were aware of PGx testing, with a significant association between awareness and positive opinions toward PGx. Both healthcare providers and patients recognized the value of PoC PGx testing devices, with 98% of healthcare providers and 71% of patients believing PoC devices would improve the accessibility and implementation of PGx testing. Comparative analysis revealed a statistically significant difference in PGx awareness between healthcare providers and patients, with providers being more informed. Conclusion Improved PGx awareness, training, clinical guidelines, and PoC PGx testing devices may help promote the implementation of PGx-guided treatments in routine clinical practice.