Series 4 Episode 5 - The Future of Pharmacogenetics: Enhancing Patient Care Through Genomic Counselling

Welcome to Genomics Now, a podcast series where you can learn how genomics is developing in England's NHS. This podcast series is recorded in 2024 and is part of the North Thames Genomic Medicine Service's educational toolkit.

In each bite-sized episode, we explore what is changing in genomics. We answer the questions on genomics we've been asked by different healthcare professionals, discuss the ways genomics may impact various healthcare roles, and how genomics can be used to improve patient care successfully.

In today's final episode of the pharmacogenetics series, Dr. Shazia Mahamdallie is joined by Dharmisha Chauhan, the Lead Pharmacist at the North Thames Genomic Medicine Service Alliance. They delve into the importance of pre- and post- pharmacogenetic counselling and its role in shared decision-making for personalised treatment plans.

Dharmisha explains how pharmacogenetics can prevent severe adverse drug reactions and improve treatment efficacy. She highlights the critical points pharmacists and prescribers should cover during counselling sessions, and the potential future benefits of point-of-care testing and wider pharmacogenetic panel testing on the NHS.

The episode also discusses the challenges of communicating complex genomic information to patients, especially those with different language backgrounds, and gives tips on clear communication and how to empower patients for joint decision-making. 

Join us as we wrap up this insightful series on pharmacogenetics and look forward to the advancements in personalised medicine and their impact on clinical roles and patient care.

For more resources and updates on genomic-based clinical developments and research, visit the North Thames Genomic Medicine Service website. If you enjoyed this episode, share your thoughts and spread the word on social media by tagging the North Thames Genomic Medicine Service.