The foundations for the systematic application of pharmacogenomics in clinical practice

The study creates the foundations for the pharmacogenomics in clinical practice in Croatia in treatment according to the individual's genetic predispositions.

Physicians and researchers of St. Catherine Specialty Hospital published the study "Population Pharmacogenomics in Croatia: Evaluating the PGx Allele Frequency and the Impact of Treatment Efficiency" in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS) with a respectable impact factor (IF) of 5.6.

The study analyzed data collected through dedicated work with our patients over the past 5 years in the field of pharmacogenomics. It is a population study that examined the population structure of the Croatian population for polymorphisms in 28 genes associated with a changed response to the use of drugs, that is, the occurrence of adverse drug reactions or the absence of an expected therapeutic response. In total, more than a hundred polymorphisms are examined by the pharmacogenomic panel which is in use at St. Catherine Specialty Hospital. It should also be noted that this is the largest study conducted so far in terms of the shear number of analyzed polymorphisms in the Republic of Croatia.

This significant step creates a solid foundation for the systematic application of pharmacogenomics in clinical practice in the Republic of Croatia, enabling customized treatment according to the genetic profile of each individual.

St. Catherine Specialty Hospital is a leader in introducing the integrated concept of personalized medicine, including pharmacogenomics, into clinical practice in Europe. Our dedication to this area of medicine opens up new horizons and opportunities for better and safer healthcare.

Awareness of the serious consequences of adverse drug reactions and increased mortality due to drug side effects is becoming increasingly important. Our research efforts shed light on this issue and show how pharmacogenomics can help reduce the number of these cases. It is worth noting the data of the National regulatory agency (HALMED) showing that in 2021 the number of reported adverse drug reactions in the Republic of Croatia was 148% higher than the previous year, which shows an increasing awareness of the importance of reporting these unwanted events in order to improve treatment outcomes. Personalized medicine, supported by pharmacogenomics, enables the optimization of drug prescription based on individual genetic profiles and a more precise selection of therapy, while reducing the risk of side effects and lack of therapeutic response.

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