Your genes shape how you process drugs, across diverse populations
Not everyone processes medications the same way. Genes play a large role in that. A major new study shows how varied those genetic differences are, including among groups that have rarely been studied before.
Researchers used data from nearly 100,000 Americans enrolled in the All of Us Research Program, run by the US National Institutes of Health. They studied 16 genes that influence how medications work in the body. These are called pharmacogenes. The study was published in Science Translational Medicine.
What the study found
Every participant carried at least one genetic variant in the pharmacogenes studied. One in four had taken a medication that could be affected by such a variant. Pharmacogenes can cause people to break down a drug faster or slower than average. This may mean they need a higher or lower dose, experience different side effects, or in some cases find that a drug does not work at all. The medications involved included antidepressants, statins, chemotherapy agents, and blood thinners.
Because All of Us deliberately recruited participants from diverse ancestries, the study identified variants not found in earlier genetic databases such as the UK Biobank. That makes the findings particularly relevant for populations that have been underrepresented in pharmacogenomic research.
Barriers to clinical use
The researchers point to several barriers before these findings can reach patient care. Many people have not had their genomes sequenced. Physicians are not always aware of which gene variants affect which medications. And the combination of variants that may simultaneously influence drug response is complex. The findings lay a foundation for broader use of genetically guided drug prescribing, but that step requires further development.
Search terms to explore further: pharmacogenetics gene variants drug response, genetically guided clinical care diversity, drug metabolism genetic variation