Genetic-Guided Pharmacotherapy for Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic and Critical Review of Economic Evaluations.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the extent and quality of evidence from economic evaluations (EEs) of genetic-guided pharmacotherapy (PGx) for atrial fibrillation (AF) and to identify variables influential in changing base-case conclusions. METHODS: From systematic searches, we included EEs of existing PGx testing to guide pharmacotherapy for AF, without restrictions on population characteristics or language. Articles excluded were genetic tests used to guide device-based therapy or focused on animals. RESULTS: We found 18 EEs (46 comparisons), all model-based cost-utility analysis with or without cost-effectiveness analysis mostly from health system's perspectives, of PGx testing to determine coumadin/direct-acting anticoagulant (DOAC) dosing (14 of 18), to stratify patients into coumadin/DOACs (3 of 18), or to increase patients' adherence to coumadin (1 of 18) versus non-PGx. Most PGx to determine coumadin dosing found PGx more costly and more effective than standard or clinical coumadin dosing (19 of 24 comparisons) but less costly and less effective than standard DOAC dosing (14 of 14 comparisons). The remaining comparisons were too few to observe any trend. Of 61 variables influential in changing base-case conclusions, effectiveness of PGx testing was the most common (37%), accounted for in the models using time-based or medication-based approaches or relative risk. The cost of PGx testing has decreased and plateaued over time. CONCLUSIONS: EEs to date only partially inform decisions on selecting optimal PGx testing for AF, because most evidence focuses on PGx testing to determine coumadin dosing, but less on other purposes. Future EE may refer to the list of influential variables and the approaches used to account for the effect of PGx testing to inform data collection and study design.

Economic evaluation in psychiatric pharmacogenomics: a systematic review.

Nowadays, many relevant drug-gene associations have been discovered, but pharmacogenomics (PGx)-guided treatment needs to be cost-effective as well as clinically beneficial to be incorporated into standard health care. To address current challenges, this systematic review provides an update regarding previously published studies, which assessed the cost-effectiveness of PGx testing for the prescription of antidepressants and antipsychotics. From a total of 1159 studies initially identified by literature database querying, and after manual assessment and curation of all of them, a mere 18 studies met our inclusion criteria. Of the 18 studies evaluations, 16 studies (88.89%) drew conclusions in favor of PGx testing, of which 9 (50%) genome-guided interventions were cost-effective and 7 (38.9%) were less costly compared to standard treatment based on cost analysis. More precisely, supportive evidence exists for CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 drug-gene associations and for combinatorial PGx panels, but evidence is limited for many other drug-gene combinations. Amongst the limitations of the field are the unclear explanation of perspective and cost inputs, as well as the underreporting of study design elements, which can influence though the economic evaluation. Overall, the findings of this article demonstrate that although there is growing evidence on the cost-effectiveness of genome-guided interventions in psychiatric diseases, there is still a need for performing additional research on economic evaluations of PGx implementation with an emphasis on psychiatric disorders.

Inaugural Pharmacogenomics Access and Reimbursement Symposium.

The Pharmacogenomics Access & Reimbursement Symposium, a landmark event presented by the Golden Helix Foundation and the Pharmacogenomics Access & Reimbursement Coalition, was a 1-day interactive meeting comprised of plenary keynotes from thought leaders across healthcare that focused on value-based strategies to improve patient access to personalized medicine. Stakeholders including patients, healthcare providers, industry, government agencies, payer organizations, health systems and health policy organizations convened to define opportunities to improve patient access to personalized medicine through best practices, successful reimbursement models, high quality economic evaluations and strategic alignment. Session topics included health technology assessment, health economics, health policy and value-based payment models and innovation.

Providers' perspectives on the clinical utility of pharmacogenomic testing in pediatric patients.

Aim: To assess providers' knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and experiences related to pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing in pediatric patients. Materials & methods: An electronic survey was sent to multidisciplinary healthcare providers at a pediatric hospital. Results: Of 261 respondents, 71.3% were slightly or not at all familiar with PGx, despite 50.2% reporting prior PGx education or training. Most providers, apart from psychiatry, perceived PGx to be at least moderately useful to inform clinical decisions. However, only 26.4% of providers had recent PGx testing experience. Unfamiliarity with PGx and uncertainty about the clinical value of testing were common perceived challenges. Conclusion: Low PGx familiarity among pediatric providers suggests additional education and electronic resources are needed for PGx examples in which data support testing in children.

Rates of genetic testing in patients prescribed drugs with pharmacogenomic information in FDA-approved labeling.

This study examined rates of genetic testing in two cohorts of publicly insured individuals who have newly prescribed medication with FDA pharmacogenomic labeling guidance. Genetic testing was rare (4.4% and 10.5% in Medicaid and Medicare cohorts, respectively) despite the fact that all participants selected were taking medications that contained pharmacogenomic labeling information. When testing was conducted it was typically done before the initial use of a target medication. Factors that emerged as predictors of the likelihood of undergoing genetic testing included White ethnicity (vs. Black), female gender, and age. Cost analyses indicated higher expenditures in groups receiving genetic testing vs. matched comparators with no genetic testing, as well as disparities between proactively and reactively tested groups (albeit in opposite directions across cohorts). Results are discussed in terms of the possible reasons for the low base rate of testing, mechanisms of increased cost, and barriers to dissemination and implementation of these tests.

Assessment and clinical utility of pharmacogenomics by healthcare practitioners in North Carolina.

Aim: Perceived knowledge, use and perceptions of pharmacogenomics (PGx) testing were assessed among healthcare practitioners in North Carolina. Materials & methods: A validated survey was distributed to various healthcare professionals and analyzed for differences among the groups. Results: The majority of the 744 survey respondents acknowledged the perceived benefits of PGx testing, but indicated either never or rarely using it. A substantial percentage of practitioners reported educational experiences but the majority had received no training. Among groups reporting using PGx testing, barriers to implementation were cost and insufficient training. Conclusion: The perceived cost of PGx testing and insufficiency or lack of training are major contributing factors to the infrequent use of PGx testing by healthcare providers in North Carolina.

PARC report: health outcomes and value of personalized medicine interventions: impact on patient care.

The incorporation of personalized medicine interventions into routine healthcare constitutes an opportunity to improve patients' quality of life, as it empowers implementation of innovative, individualized clinical interventions that maximize efficacy and/or minimize the risk of adverse drug reactions. In order to ensure equal access to genomic testing for all patients, the costs associated with these interventions must be reimbursed by payers and insurance bodies. As such, it is of utmost importance to thoroughly evaluate these interventions both in terms of their clinical effectiveness and their economic cost. This article discusses the impact of personalized medicine interventions in terms of both health outcomes and value, which directly impacts on their pricing and reimbursement by the various national healthcare systems.

Cost avoidance related to a pharmacist-led pharmacogenomics service for the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly.

Aim: Estimate cost avoidance of pharmacist recommendations for participants enrolled in the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly. Materials & methods: Convenience sample of 200 pharmacogenomics consultations from the PHARM-GENOME-PACE study. Genetic variants, drug-gene interactions, drug-drug-gene interactions and phenoconversions were interrogated. Cost avoidance was estimated and adjusted for inflation. Results: In total, 165 participants had at least one actionable drug-gene pair totaling 429 drug-gene pairs, of which 158 (36.8%) were clinically actionable. Most (70.5%) pharmacists' recommendations were accepted. Estimated cost avoidance was $233,945 when all recommendations were included but conservatively $162,031 based on acceptance rates. Overall mean cost avoidance per actionable drug-gene pair was $1063 or $1983 per participant. Conclusion: Pharmacist-led pharmacogenomics services added to the traditional medication review can avoid substantial costs for payers. Clinical trial registration number: NCT03257605.

Clinical Validation of a 106-SNV MALDI-ToF MS Pharmacogenomic Panel.

BACKGROUND: Laboratorians have the opportunity to help minimize the frequency of adverse drug reactions by implementing pharmacogenomic testing and alerting care providers to possible patient/drug incompatibilities before drug treatment is initiated. Methods combining PCR with MALDI-ToF MS have allowed for sensitive, economical, and multiplexed pharmacogenomic testing results to be delivered in a timely fashion. METHOD: This study evaluated the analytical performance of the Agena Biosciences iPLEX® PGx 74 panel and a custom iPLEX panel on a MassARRAY MALDI-TOF MS instrument in a clinical laboratory setting. Collectively, these panels evaluate 112 SNVs across 34 genes implicated in drug response. Using commercially available samples (Coriell Biorepository) and in-house extracted DNA, we determined ideal reaction conditions and assessed accuracy, precision, and robustness. RESULTS: Following protocol optimization, the Agena PGx74 and custom panels demonstrated 100% concordance with the 1000 Genomes Project Database and clinically validated hydrolysis probe genotyping assays. 100% concordance was also observed in all assessments of assay precision when appropriate QC metrics were applied. CONCLUSIONS: Significant development time was required to optimize sample preparation and instrumental analysis and 3 assays were removed due to inconsistent performance. Following modification of the manufacturer's protocol and instituting manual review of each assay plate, the Agena PGx74 and custom panel constitute a cost-effective, robust, and accurate method for clinical identification of 106 SNVs involved in drug response.

Pharmacogenetics in primary care.

The use of pharmacogenetic information is becoming mainstream with insurance companies and others starting to pay for widescale implementation of this new technology starting with patients who have anxiety and depression. It has been introduced in response to the unpredictability of medication, the high number of adverse drug events, and lack of drug effectiveness. Greater than one-third of patients are identified as having one or more pharmacogenetic variants. Each pharmacogenetic variant may affect the metabolism of several medications used in primary care, in addition to the antidepressant and anti-anxiolytic medications. Pharmacogenetic information is evolving with major international working groups providing continuous updates. It is challenging to incorporate this new information along with all the other variables needed to identify safe and effective drug options within a normal consultation. Medication decision support software is one solution that can help address this.

Pharmacogenomics: An evolving clinical tool for precision medicine.

Pharmacogenomics, ie, the study of how an individual's genomic profile influences his or her response to drugs, has emerged as a clinical tool to optimize drug therapy. Certain variants in some genes increase the risk of severe, life-threatening adverse effects from certain drugs. Integrating pharmacogenomics into clinical practice to assist in drug selection and dosing has the potential to improve the outcomes of treatment, reduce the risk of drug-induced morbidity and death, and be cost-effective.

Economic Outcomes Following Combinatorial Pharmacogenomic Testing for Elderly Psychiatric Patients.

OBJECTIVE: We compared economic outcomes when elderly patients with neuropsychiatric disorders received psychotropic medications guided by a combinatorial pharmacogenomic (PGx) test. METHODS: This is a subanalysis of a 1-year prospective assessment of medication cost for patients with neuropsychiatric disorders receiving combinatorial PGx testing. Pharmacy claims were used to compare per member per year (PMPY) medication cost for patients ≥65 and <65 years old when medications were congruent or incongruent with the PGx test. Polypharmacy was also assessed. RESULTS: Congruent prescribing was associated with savings of US$3497 PMPY (P < .001) for patients ≥65 years and US$2467 PMPY (P < .001) for patients <65, compared to incongruent prescribing. Congruent prescribing in patients ≥65 treated by primary care providers was associated with US$4113 PMPY (P = .026) in savings, while congruent prescribing by psychiatrists was associated with US$120 PMPY (P = .719). Congruent prescribing was also associated with one fewer neuropsychiatric medication for patients ≥65 (P = .070). CONCLUSION: Congruence with PGx testing was associated with medication cost savings in elderly patients.

Stakeholder perspectives of the clinical utility of pharmacogenomic testing in solid organ transplantation.

Aims: To assess stakeholder perspectives regarding the clinical utility of pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing following kidney, liver, and heart transplantation. Methods: We conducted individual semi-structured interviews and focus groups with kidney, liver, and heart transplantation patients and providers. We analyzed the qualitative data to identify salient themes. Results: The study enrolled 36 patients and 24 providers. Patients lacked an understanding about PGx, but expressed interest in PGx testing. Providers expressed willingness to use PGx testing, but reported barriers to implementation, such as lack of knowledge, lack of evidence demonstrating clinical utility, and patient healthcare burden. Conclusion: Patient and provider educational efforts, including foundational knowledge, clinical evidence, and applications to patient care beyond just immunosuppression, may be useful to facilitate the use of PGx testing in transplant medicine.

Southeast Asian Pharmacogenomics Research Network (SEAPharm): Current Status and Perspectives.

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) is increasingly being recognized as a potential tool for improving the efficacy and safety of drug therapy. Therefore, several efforts have been undertaken globally to facilitate the implementation process of PGx into routine clinical practice. Part of these efforts include the formation of PGx working groups working on PGx research, synthesis, and dissemination of PGx data and creation of PGx implementation strategies. In Asia, the Southeast Asian Pharmacogenomics Research Network (SEAPharm) is established to enable and strengthen PGx research among the various PGx communities within but not limited to countries in SEA; with the ultimate goal to support PGx implementation in the region. From the perspective of SEAPharm member countries, there are several key elements essential for PGx implementation at the national level. They include pharmacovigilance database, PGx research, health economics research, dedicated laboratory to support PGx testing for both research and clinical use, structured PGx education, and supportive national health policy. The status of these essential elements is presented here to provide a broad picture of the readiness for PGx implementation among the SEAPharm member countries, and to strengthen the PGx research network and practice in this region.

Going to the negative: genomics for optimized medical prescription.

Personalized medicine promises to advance and improve health by targeting the right medication to the right person at the right time, thus maximizing the proportion of treated patients who achieve an effective response to therapy. This Comment article makes the complementary argument that equally important benefits will derive from negative prediction, namely by identifying those individuals who are either not actually in need of, or unlikely to respond to, a drug. Reduction of unnecessary prescription could conceivably save health-care systems many billions of dollars with very little detrimental impact on outcomes.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Genotype-Guided Treatment Allocation in Patients with Alcohol Use Disorders Using Naltrexone or Acamprosate, Using a Modeling Approach.

Alcohol use disorders (AUD) are a major contributor to the global burden of disease, and have huge societal impact. Some studies show that AUD patients carrying the G-allele of the OPRM1 variant c.118A>G respond better to naltrexone, resulting in reduced relapse rates compared to carriers of the AA genotype. Genotype-guided treatment allocation of these patients carrying a G-allele to naltrexone could potentially improve the treatment outcome. However, cost-effectiveness of this strategy should be investigated before considering clinical implementation. We, therefore, evaluated costs and Quality-Adjusted Life-Years (QALYs), using a modelling approach, from an European perspective, of genotype-guided treatment allocation (G-allele carriers receiving naltrexone; AA homozygotes acamprosate or naltrexone) compared to standard care (random treatment allocation to acamprosate or naltrexone), by using a Markov model. Genotype-guided treatment allocation resulted in incremental costs of EUR 66 (95% CI -28 to 149) and incremental effects of 0.005 QALYs (95% CI 0.000-0.011) per patient (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of EUR 13,350 per QALY). Sensitivity analyses showed that the risk ratio to relapse after treatment allocation had the largest impact on the cost-effectiveness. Depending on the willingness to pay for a gain of one QALY, probabilities that the intervention is cost-effective varies between 6 and 79%. In conclusion, pharmacogenetic treatment allocation of AUD patients to naltrexone, based on OPRM1 genotype, can be a cost-effective strategy, and could have potential individual and societal benefits. However, more evidence on the impact of genotype-guided treatment allocation on relapse is needed to substantiate these conclusions, as there is contradictory evidence about the effectiveness of OPRM1 genotyping.

Gap between the US and Japan in coverage of pharmacogenomic biomarkers by health insurance programs: More coverage is needed in Japan.

In this study, we aimed to understand the gap in coverage of pharmacogenomic (PGx) biomarkers between Japan and the US. PGx biomarkers (1) in the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) guidelines; (2) that are CPIC level A or B; or (3) have US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug labels, were determined. Subsequently, their coverage by US health insurance companies and the National Health Insurance (NHI) in Japan was investigated. We identified the top six health insurance companies with the largest market shares in the US and investigated the coverage for the PGx biomarkers by these health insurers, Medicare, Medicaid, and the NHI in Japan. We found that 19.9% of these biomarkers are covered by the six companies (10.0%, the CPIC guidelines; 25.1%, the FDA-approved drug labels). The coverage of somatic and germline biomarkers was respectively 86.8% and 8.5% in the US and 56.3% and 0.6% in Japan. A few germline PGx biomarkers are covered both in Japan and the US, but the coverage of both somatic and germline biomarkers was lower in Japan. Therefore, more coverage should be considered to improve patient outcomes after prescribing medications in Japan.

Value of a Hypothetical Pharmacogenomic Test for the Diagnosis of Statin-Induced Myopathy in Patients at High Cardiovascular Risk.

We recently conducted two economic evaluations of a hypothetical pharmacogenomic test for statin-induced myopathy (SIM) in patients at high cardiovascular risk. Although the models differed in modeling technique and data inputs, both yielded similar results. We believe our approach to assessing the economic value of a diagnostic test was highly advantageous as it characterized the complete range of false-negative and false-positive test outcomes. We used a broad interpretation of test parameters that reflected physician and patient behavioral responses to the test results and accounted for patient adherence to treatment. Both economic evaluations indicated that a highly accurate pharmacogenomic test for SIM would provide a positive incremental net monetary benefit (INMB) for a provincial payer in Canada. However, the value of the test would depend on its ability to accurately diagnose patients when they experience musculoskeletal pain symptoms and guide patients with a test result indicating no SIM to adhere to treatment. Interestingly, our results indicated that a highly inaccurate test would still yield a positive INMB. We found this surprising result was driven by the imbalance of the risk of cardiovascular events outweighing the risk of rhabdomyolysis in patients at high cardiovascular risk. A highly accurate pharmacogenomic test for SIM in patients at high cardiovascular risk would provide economic value for payers. However, the economic and clinical value of the test would depend on the credibility of the test results and their success in influencing patients without SIM to adhere to therapy.

Use of combinatorial pharmacogenomic guidance in treating psychiatric disorders.

AIM: To evaluate payer costs associated with treating psychiatric disorders utilizing a combinatorial pharmacogenomics test versus treatment-as-usual (TAU). PATIENTS & METHODS: Administrative claims data were analyzed from health plan members whose treatment was guided by GeneSight® Psychotropic testing (CPGx® cohort) and those who received TAU (TAU cohort). Reimbursed costs were calculated over the 12-month pre-index and post-index event periods. RESULTS: 205 CPGx and 478 TAU members were included. Post-index cost savings (US$5505) drove a per-member-per-month savings of US$0.07. Disease-specific analyses resulted in similar savings. CONCLUSION: Use of CPGx yielded reduced spending for a commercial health plan across the patient population with psychiatric disorders, as well as among high-cost subpopulations.