King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center launches clinical pharmacogenomics service

This will enhance drug effectiveness and patient safety.

King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSH&RC) in Saudi Arabia revealed the launch of the first phase of clinical pharmacogenomics services at its cardiac centre. 

This service uses a patient's DNA to customise drug dosages and regimens, creating personalised healthcare treatments for each person. 

“This groundbreaking approach promises to improve treatment effectiveness and reduce potential harm,” read the statement.

Experts at KFSH&RC found that this analysis allows physicians to “prescribe medicines tailored to each patient based on their unique health conditions and genetic characteristics.” 

“A patient's response to drugs may vary significantly depending on their genetic profile. Therefore, what works for one patient may have minimal effect on another,” read the statement.

“Notably, statistics show that 15% of hospitalizations are caused by adverse drug reactions, which places a huge financial and human burden on healthcare systems worldwide,” it added.

This innovative service is a collaboration between the KFSH&RC Center for Genomic Medicine, the Medical Information Technology Affairs Department and the Pharmaceutical Care Department.

In its early phase, the service covers the six most commonly prescribed drugs (identified from hospital data), the efficacy of which is known to be affected by genetic variations.