title: A lay prescription for tailor-made drugs--focus group reflections on pharmacogenomics.
abstract: This study explores the lay view of pharmaceutical research and development--specifically pharmacogenomics. Forty-two persons participated in eight focus groups in Iceland. Participants were asked to comment on a future scenario consisting of predictions made by researchers concerning the consequences of the Human Genome Project over the next 40 years, and asked to give advice to politicians and the pharmaceutical industry. A dominating theme in the focus groups was the expectation that drugs developed based on pharmacogenomics will be more expensive than conventional mass produced drugs and concerns were voiced that this new technology would lead to inequalities locally and globally.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Iceland, Hagi, Hofsvallagata 53, IS-107 Reykjavík, Iceland. annaba@hi.is
authors.forename: Anna Birna
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Almarsdóttir
authors.forename: Ingunn
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Björnsdóttir
authors.forename: Janine Morgall
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Traulsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004345:Drug Industry; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010597:Pharmacogenetics