title: Pharmacogenetic testing: proofs of principle and pharmacoeconomic implications.
abstract: Several proofs of principle have established that pharmacogenetic testing for mutations altering expression and functions of genes associated with drug disposition and response can decrease the "trial-and-error" dosing and reduce the risk of adverse drug reactions. These proofs of principle include thiopurine methyltransferase and thiopurine therapy, dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase/thymidylate synthase and 5-fluorouracil therapy, folate enzyme MTHFR and methotrexate therapy, UGT1A1 and irinotecan therapy and CYP450 2C9 and S-warfarin therapy. These evidences advocate for the prospective identification of mutations associated with drug response, serious adverse reactions and treatment failure. More recent evidence with the HLA basis of hypersensitivity to the retroviral agent abacavir demonstrates the potential of pharmacogenetic testing and its pharmacoeconomic implications. With the convergence of rising drug costs and evidence supporting the clinical benefits of pharmacogenetic testing, it will be important to demonstrate the improved net health outcomes attributed to the additional costs for this testing.
authors.affiliation: Prometheus Laboratories, 5739 Pacific Center Boulevard, San Diego, 92121 CA, USA. tdervieux@prometheuslabs.com
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dervieux
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meshkin
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Neri
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism; D015224:Dideoxynucleosides / Q000276:immunology; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D010597:Pharmacogenetics / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D014859:Warfarin; D000099227:Abacavir
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D015224:Dideoxynucleosides; D014859:Warfarin; D000099227:Abacavir