Potential roles for pharmacists in pharmacogenetics

Objectives: To highlight areas of pharmacogenetics in which pharmacists may play a role and to describe those roles in the context of specific examples from a major academic medical center. Data sources: Literature search (PubMed) and personal interviews for the University of California at San Francisco case examples. Data synthesis: The field of pharmacogenetics presents a wide range of opportunities for pharmacists. Specific roles for pharmacists are likely to fall within three major domains: developing research methodologies and setting research directions, establishing the value of pharmacogenetic testing in clinical practice, and participating in education and infrastructure development that moves pharmacogenetic technologies toward implementation. Conclusion: As drug therapy experts, pharmacists are in a unique position to push the frontiers of pharmacogenetics in both the research and clinical practice environments.