Zachary Brooks, PhD & Archana Gurudu
Pharmacogenomics: Ensuring Equitable Benefits for Underserved Patient Populations. How can pharmacogenomic (PGx) research and testing promote health equity in patients of underserved backgrounds? PGx remains a foundational component of personalized medicine, mitigating adverse drug reactions and lowering large-scale healthcare costs (Gawronski et al., 2023). Disparities in genetic research, healthcare access, and provider education have created systemic barriers that prevent underserved populations from benefiting fully from PGx advancements. Overcoming these challenges requires an analysis of socioeconomic barriers, demographic diversity in research, and patient-provider communication.
Innovative care delivery models necessary to break the cycle of health inequity. Patients of lower socioeconomic statuses–such as those with financial constraints, lack of geographic access to healthcare resources, and limited education–face compounded challenges in accessing PGx services (Gawronski et al. 2023 and Magavern et al. 2021). This exemplifies the inverse health equity hypothesis, a phenomenon in which new health technologies become available to well-resourced populations prior to underserved populations (Roman, 2023). Consequently, existing health disparities are further exacerbated among the very people who would benefit the most from such advancements. Thus, the potential of PGx to personalize medicine and improve health outcomes may not be realized equitably across all segments of society. Innovative care delivery models show promise in bridging these gaps.
When diverse populations are understudied, the credibility of PGx is called into question. Prioritization of demographic diversity in PGx studies is one step towards greater PGx accessibility. Existing research primarily examines genetic variation in patients of European ancestry. When diverse populations are understudied, the credibility of PGx is called into question, reducing its utility in practice. The incorporation of genomic data from patients of all backgrounds mitigates misinterpretation of PGx data in understudied population groups (Magavern et al., 2021). Global collaborations currently underway illustrate a major stride in inclusive research practices, paving the way towards diversification of genomic databases to ensure all patients benefit from tailored therapeutic strategies (Rogers et al., 2024).
Patient-provider relationships key to equitable access. Finally, adequate patient and provider education and communication around PGx testing may improve medication treatment and outcomes. A 2025 survey of primary care providers revealed that only 23% felt confident interpreting PGx test results, dropping to 9% in rural practices. Patient awareness remains equally limited (Silver, et al. 2025). Public campaigns using culturally resonant analogies— such as comparing genetic testing to agricultural practices in farming communities—improve health literacy and trust (Saulsberry et al.). Ultimately, as PGx continues to advance, patient-provider relationships will play a key role in facilitating equitable access to personalized medicine.
Learn more about UGenome’s Personalized Medication Service, ProPEx, or contact UGenome. You can also find case studies for UGenome’s bioinformatics services Metabolite Identification, Bone Metastasis Risk Analysis in Breast Cancer, Survival Analysis with gene signatures in cancer
#ugenome, #ugenomeai, #genetics, #pharmacogenetics, #genomicmedicine, #sequencing, #datascience, #lifesciences, #bioinformatics, #biostatistics, #pharma, #bullpen, #NVIDIAInception, #foundershub