Limitations of Pharmacogenomics

• Finding the gene variations that are responsible for a particular drug response is very complex. This is so as the human genome is very large and consists of 3 billion bases and single nucleotide polymorphisms occur every 100 to 300 bases. With this being complex it means that limited information about which all genes that are responsible for each drug response is available, serving to only further complicate things. As a result, for persons whose gene variations prevent them from tolerating one or two approved medicines, wouldn’t have any drug alternative available to them.

• The use of pharmacogenomics has been limited since there is a lack of scientific evidence for improved patient care. Although it is used for treating diseases such as cancer, HIV and cardiovascular diseases among others, it is done so to a limited extent.

• Variations in mutations with drug metabolism and drug response may arise due to persons varying lifestyle, diet, age, environment and overall health condition.

• Although pharmacogenomics has the potential to reduce health care costs and yield economic benefits, it is very costly to introduce a new drug to the market. This coupled with the fact that this new drug only suits a fraction of the population, discouraging pharmaceutical companies to make such an investment. As a result that fraction “with rare or complex genetic conditions or those who are not responding to any known treatment” (Squassina et al., n.d.) will be deprived of effective treatments.

• Pharmacogenomics has to deal with the issues of privacy and ultimately genetic discrimination which can affect access to life and health insurance. In addition, patients psyche can be affected since they may be concerned about being labeled as “either a ‘responder’ or a ‘non-responder’, to a given therapy” (Squassina et al., n.d.).

• With pharmacogenomics being fairly new phenomena, medical practitioners and primary health care providers lack adequate knowledge and preparation about pharmacogenetic testing and personalized medicine. This makes it difficult for them to actually carry out pharmacogentic tests, interpret their results and effectively utilize it in clinical practice. 



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