Genes to patients: new perspectives on personalised medicines. (360G-Wellcome-081156_Z_06_Z)

Genes to patients: new perspectives on personalised medicines Pharmacogenomics applies discoveries arising from genomic studies to improve the efficacy and safety of medicines. A key goal is tailoring selection of medicines for individual patients based on affordable gene testing. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are one of largest preventable problems facing the National Health Services and beyond, contributing up to 7% of hospital admissions in the UK and over 100,000 deaths annually in the USA. ADRs are often due to prescribing errors. However impaired concordance with treatment and thus ineffective control of important medical problems may arise from genetically-determined differences in pathways associated with ADRs and drug effector pathways. Discussion to date considering the role of genetic testing in predicting clinical responsiveness has largely focused on genetic variability in function of pathways directly involved in treatment efficacy. As a result of recent scientific advance in this field, coupled with introduction of clinically validated pharmacogenetic testing and current policy discussion by the Royal Society and other organisations, it is timely to hold a symposium to consider ways in which recent developments in genomics and in proteomics can be applied to effective personalised medicine profiling in clinical practice and to consider issues important in implementing into practice the necessary health technology innovations. Topics to be covered include: Genetic targets: CYP enzymes, drug transporters; receptors, cell signalling - Genetic methods: genotyping; gene mapping; single nucleotide and copy number polymorphisms - Proteomic approaches to drug discovery - Pharmacovigilance platforms: expert systems and cross-cultural issues - Ethical considerations - Health economics of implementing personalised gene testing - Intellectual property and patents - Patients' and users' perspectives - Role of regulatory authorities - Role of biotechnology industry - Role of pharmaceutical industry - Role of Small to Medium-sized Enterprises.