Landmarks of pharmacogenomics and some considerations for clinical practice

Since the completion of the Human Genome Project 28 years ago, myriad genomics applications have risen in areas such as agriculture, livestock, infectious agents, forensics, bioenergy, ancestry, health, disease, and medicine. This was driven partly by the US government’s ability to use a unique program to facilitate genome sequencing to the point where the cost of sequencing a whole human genome is not prohibitive. However, application of this knowledge of the double helix twisted DNA at the bedside in psychiatric clinical practice has little to report, despite US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of nearly 40 psychotropic drugs, as well as specific guidelines for their application. Patients with treatment-resistant mental illness, history of unresponsiveness to psychotropic medications, and history or family history of serious adverse effects to psychotropic drugs may qualify for pharmacogenomics (PGx) testing with insurance reimbursement, or a low, out-of-pocket, payment of not greater than US $300. Psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners and providers who utilize PGx will not only improve patient care outcomes, but also contribute to the acceleration of the potential diagnostic and preventive capabilities of PGx testing.