Clinical application of pharmacogenetics in pain management

There is growing experience translating genomic data into clinical practice, as seen with the Implementing GeNomics In pracTicE (IGNITE) network. A primary example is the influence of CYP2D6 genotype on the beneficial and adverse effects of some opioids. Clinical recommendations exist to guide drug therapy based on CYP2D6 genotype for codeine, tramadol, oxycodone and hydrocodone, although the level of supporting evidence differs by drug. Limited evidence also supports the use of genetic data to guide other medications in chronic pain therapy, including tricyclic antidepressants and celecoxib. Pragmatic clinical trial data are needed in this area to better understand the impact of diverse populations, therapeutic interventions and clinical care environments on genotype-guided drug therapy for chronic pain.