How does the future vision of PGx testing redefine the timing of its application compared to current practices?
Becoming a proactive, foundational test performed upon entry into the healthcare system.
The transition envisioned for pharmacogenomics involves fundamentally altering when genetic information is obtained and utilized in patient care. Currently, testing is often reactive—ordered as a secondary measure when a patient has difficulty responding to a drug, experiences toxicity, or when other standard dosing methods fail. The future standard aims for testing to be proactive. This means performing a broad genomic screen early, perhaps upon initial contact with the healthcare system, much like routine blood work. This foundational data set would then be available throughout the patient's lifetime, ensuring all subsequent prescribing decisions benefit from pre-existing genetic knowledge.
