Are pharmacists from the province of Quebec ready to integrate pharmacogenetics into their practice

Aim: The pharmacists are identified as one of the best positioned health professionals to lead intercollaborative efforts in tailoring medication based on pharmacogenetic information. As pharmacotherapy specialists, they can take on a prominent role in ordering and interpreting pharmacogenetic test results and then guiding optimal drug selection and dose based on those results. Participants & methods: To assess the readiness of pharmacists and trainees in the province of Quebec to assume this role, we surveyed their knowledge in (pharmaco)genetics, their confidence in their ability to use pharmacogenetics and their attitude toward the integration of this tool in clinical practice. Results: A total of 99 pharmacists (community: 67.7%, hospital: 24.2% and other: 8.1%) and 36 students volunteered in a self-administered online survey. About 50% of the questions on the participants' knowledge are answered correctly, with a stepwise increase of right answers with hours of education in (pharmaco)genetics (51.2, 63.8 and 76.7% for <5, 5-25 and >25 h respectively; p < 0.0001). While the majority of participants believe that pharmacogenetics will gain more room in their future practice (80.7%), the overall rate of confidence in their ability to use pharmacogenetics information is low (22%) and 90.3% desire more training. Conclusion: The limited experience of pharmacists in pharmacogenetics appears to be a barrier for its integration in clinical practice.