Farmakogenomiset testit Suomen terveydenhuollossa

Pharmacogenomic test are laboratory tests that are performed in order to find out what kind of a variable response to a specific drug is most likely for a patient, or in order to determine the background of a deviating adverse drug reaction. Individual drug responses can be caused by a variation in a gene that codes for a protein that is involved in the pharmacokinetics or the pharmacodynamic response of the drug. These genes are called pharmacogenes. Pharmacogenomic tests are most commonly DNA tests that look for the most frequent variations in the pharmacogenes or variations that are associated with variable drug response even if located in the non-coding region of the DNA. Pharmacogenomics is a rapidly emerging branch in scientific research, and the number of known pharmacogenes and available pharmacogenomic tests is constantly growing. Pharmacogenomic tests can be helpful in avoiding ineffective medication, and decrease the probability of severe adverse drug reactions. Several international specialist consortiums, such as Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) and Dutch Pharmacogenetics Working Group (DPWG), have published guidelines regarding dosing of spesific drugs or drug classes when a patient has a certain variation in one of known pharmacogenes. Due tothe amount of knowledge constantly increasing, use of pharmacogenomic tests is believed to expand in the healthcare. The aim of this study was to examine the use of pharmacogenomic test in Finnish healthcare during years 2016 and 2017. A questionnaire was send to Finnish laboratories by email. Purpose of the questionnaire was to collect information of the amount of available and performed pharmacogenomic tests and respondents opinions regarding the future of pharmacogenomic tests. Questionnaire was carried out in co-operation with Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences in University of Helsinki, using Webropol survey tool. The survey was renewed the following year, without major alterations to its content. Unfortunately, due to the somewhat low response rate of the survey in both 2016 and 2017, the results of the survey cannot be considered to sufficiently represent the collective views of the target group. However, from the giver replies we can rather reliably conclude that pharmacogenomic tests were not used in high volume during years 2016 and 2017. The laboratories reported mainly very small amounts of performed tests. The most abundantly reported test was TPMT gene test, regardless of the year. In spite of the low test volume, respondents were, however, widely unanimous that the use of pharmacogenomic test and their significance in healthcare are very likely to increase in the near future.