Unlocking precision medicine: The benefits of pharmacogenomic testing in youth

Pharmacogenomic testing offers significant benefits in paediatric care by personalising medication choices to a child's genetic profile.¹ This approach enhances treatment efficacy, reduces adverse drug reactions, and minimises the trial-and-error process in prescribing medications.

Tailored treatments for tiny humans: The benefits of pharmacogenetic testing

1. Enhanced medication safety and efficacy

With the help of pharmacogenomic testing genetic variations that alter drug metabolism can be detected. This helps clinicians to select the most appropriate medication at the correct dosage for each child. The major benefit of this personalised approach is that therapeutic outcomes are improved, and side effects are majorly reduced. ²

2. Improved mental health treatment

In children suffering from mental health disorders, pharmacogenomic testing has been shown to enhance their response to treatment regimens.³

3. Reduced polypharmacy

Pharmacogenomic testing can help to minimise the use of multiple medications by identifying the drug that would be most effective to treat the child’s condition. A study published in the journal Pharmacogenomics reported that by making use of pharmacogenomic testing they witnessed a significant reduction in the number of drugs used per child and reported overall improved clinical outcomes.³

4. Cost-effectiveness

By preventing adverse drug reactions and hospitalisations, pharmacogenomic testing can reduce healthcare costs. The Paediatric Pharmacy Advocacy Group emphasises the importance of integrating pharmacogenomics into paediatric care to avoid adverse drug reactions and improve medication efficacy which leads so major cost savings overall.⁴

The PharmaGene test is a pharmacogenomics service aimed at transforming healthcare through personalised medicine. PharmaGene provides tailored treatment plans by analysing genetic markers, current medications and lifestyle factors. PharmaGene offers a one-time test that provides life-long insights. There is an accompanying live portal that allows healthcare practitioners to adjust treatment regimens in real time. The platform continually updates as new pharmacogenomic data comes to light thus it is the ideal tool to start using during a person’s youth because it can be used throughout a patient’s lifetime. PharmaGene represents a significant step toward personalised healthcare that young and old can benefit from!

Resources

1. Gregornik, D. et al. (2020) ‘Pediatric pharmacogenomics: Challenges and opportunities: On behalf of the Sanford Children’s Genomic Medicine Consortium’, The Pharmacogenomics Journal, 21(1), pp. 8–19. doi:10.1038/s41397-020-00181-w.
2. Pharmacogenomics program (2025) Children’s Minnesota. Available at: https://www.childrensmn.org/services/care-specialties-departments/pharmacogenomics/?utm_source=chatgpt.com (Accessed: 20 May 2025).
3. Blasco-Fontecilla, H. (2018) ‘Clinical utility of pharmacogenetic testing in children and adolescents with severe mental disorders’, Journal of Neural Transmission, 126(1), pp. 101–107. doi:10.1007/s00702-018-1882-4.
4. Brown, J.T. et al. (2018) ‘The role of the pediatric pharmacist in Precision Medicine and Clinical Pharmacogenomics for children’, The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 23(6), pp. 499–501. doi:10.5863/1551-6776-23.6.499.