Speaker Profile
M.D., Cardiologist, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Associate Professor of Medicine, Center for Applied Genomics & Precision Medicine, Duke University
Biography
His research focuses on the discovery and translation of pharmacogenomic biomarkers to address the hypothesis that tailoring drug therapy on the basis of genomic information can improve health outcomes. He has chosen some of the most commonly used medications used worldwide – antiplatelet and statin medications – for his research. As Director of the VA PHarmacogenomics Action for cancer SuRvivorship(PHASeR) program, he is leading the VA’s implementation of pre-emptive, panel-based, pharmacogenetic testing to up to 250,000 Veterans.
Talk
PHASeR: Implementing Pre-emptive Pharmacogenomic Screening In The Veterans Health Administration
The objective of the VA Pharmacogenomics Action for Cancer Survivorship (PHASeR) program is to provide pre-emptive, panel based, pharmacogenomic screening to up to 250,000 Veterans. I will provide an overview of the strategy to implement pharmacogenetic testing in one of the largest integrated health care systems in the United States.
Session Abstract – PMWC 2020 Silicon Valley
Pharmacists have long recognized that using unique patient characteristics to guide pharmacotherapy decision-making can improve drug response and mitigate drug-associated risks. Age, weight, and dietary habits were among the first patient-specific characteristics used to individualize pharmacotherapy. As technologies advanced, analytic tools that measure surrogate markers of liver and renal function, together with drug concentrations in biological fluids, were adopted to optimize therapeutic regimens. Cutting-edge genomic technologies are now being integrated into patient care for the selection of targeted therapies and identification of those at increased risk of poor pharmacotherapy outcomes. Precision Pharmacotherapy is combining genetic, environmental, lifestyle, and other unique patient or disease characteristics to guide drug selection and dosage. This session will introduce the concept and give many examples of how precision pharmacotherapy is used in specialties such as pediatrics, psychology, cardiology and oncology to guide prescribing.
