Health care professionals' perceptions of the role of pharmacogenomic data

To explore the perceptions of health care professionals in examining the uses of pharmacogenomic data.

A mailed questionnaire elicited respondent perceptions of how the use of pharmacogenomic information would impact the provision of health-related services (7-point scale: 7=strongly increase to 1=strongly decrease). Respondents were also asked to describe their level of agreement to statements related to how pharmacogenomic information should be used (7-point scale: 7=strongly agree to 1=strongly disagree). One-sample t tests were used to investigate significant differences from the midpoint value of each scale. Survey participants were attendees of a policy conference entitled.Pharmacogenomics: Implications for Patients, Providers, and Payers. sponsored by the university college of pharmacy.

Respondents believed the use of pharmacogenomic information would affect several areas of health care, including the cost of insurance premiums (P<0.001), the use of confidential medical information (P=0.024), patient access to therapy (P=0.005), and the impact of physician/patient preferences in selecting treatment choices (P<0.001). Furthermore, respondents felt it should be used to help treat patients (P<0.001), help patients/physicians make therapy choices (P<0.001), create treatment guidelines (P<0.001), conduct research (P<0.001), justify refusals of therapy (P=0.014), and budget for future expenditures (P<0.001). Respondents also believed the information should not be used for setting copay amounts (P=0.002), determining insurance premiums (P<0.001), or in the negotiation of insurance contracts (P<0.001).

The respondents to this survey appeared optimistic about the use of pharmacogenomic information, and their responses provided a proactive framework to discuss the potential use and misuse of this technology.