New research shows almost 90% of people in England would agree to genetic testing to get the most effective medication and reduce the risk of side effects. Other statistics further confirm the overwhelming support of pharmacogenomic testing amongst the public.
85% thought that the NHS should offer pharmacogenomic testing to people with multiple health conditions. 58% of people thought that the NHS should offer this testing to everyone, while 91% wanted access to their own pharmacogenomic data, with many wanting this via the NHS app.
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have worked with the Participant Panel, Genomics England, and other key partners to carry out a first-of-its-kind public consultation to gather the public’s views on pharmacogenetics.
Side effects account for one in 16 hospital admissions and have been estimated to cost the NHS £2.2 billion annually – demonstrating how important pharmacogenetic testing could be.
To gauge the public’s attitudes on pharmacogenetics, a research team, led by Dr Emma Magavern at Queen Mary University of London in collaboration with the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), surveyed a representative sample of UK adults.
The team worked with the NHS England Network of Excellence for Pharmacogenomics and Medicines Optimisation and the Participant Panel at Genomics England. 2,719 responses were obtained (a response rate of 58%).
Key findings from the survey include:
- Only half of participants knew that variations in DNA can predict either efficacy or side effects from a medication.
- People who were prescribed medication were almost twice as likely to want a PGx test.
- Most people (59%) reported experiencing either no benefit or a side effect from a medication.
