Pharmacogenetics: ethical issues - announcement of WP
Mon, 21 October 2002
The Nuffield Council on Bioethics today announces a new Working Party to consider Pharmacogenetics: ethical issues
People often vary in their response to the same medicine. Some medicines are not effective for everyone; others may cause some patients to suffer adverse side-effects or even death. These different responses may be partly due to our different genetic make-up. Pharmacogenetics aims to improve the efficacy and also the safety of prescribing medicines. The Nuffield Council on Bioethics today announced (XX September 2002) a new Working Party which will consider ethical issues raised by this rapidly developing area.
Pharmacogenetics, the study of the extent to which genetic differences influence the response of individuals to medicines, is still at an early stage in its development. Claims of personalised prescriptions may be unrealistic, but it is not too early to consider possible applications of this new area of study as well as ethical and legal issues which may arise. The introduction of pharmacogenetic testing is likely to have an impact on the development and prescription of medicines. Questions arise about the economic implications for provision of healthcare. Will the development of unprofitable, but desirable, medicines be neglected? Could the development of medicines for specific groups of the population exclude others? The increasing need for genetic information about individuals will raise ethical concerns. Do pharmacogenetic tests raise different issues from those raised by genetic tests concerned with disease? Will a new use and storage of genetic data pose challenges to existing approaches to consent, privacy and confidentiality? Do pharmacogenetic tests differ from non-genetic tests, such as tests for cholesterol, which already have a role in treatment?
The Working Party, which includes philosophers, scientists and physicians, will consider these and related questions. The Council will produce a Discussion Paper on the topic, to be launched in 2003. The paper will be of particular interest to healthcare professionals, policy-makers, patient groups, the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory bodies and insurance companies. A consultation document will be published within the next three months.
“We are looking forward to discussing ethical issues raised by pharmacogenetics,” said Professor Peter Lipton, Chairman of the Working Party and Head of Department of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge. “We hope that the Discussion Paper will stimulate public debate and help with the development of public policy in relation to this new and potentially important medical technology.”
Notes for editors
1. For further information please contact:
Nicola Perrin
28 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3JS
020 7681 9627
e-mail: bioethics@nuffieldfoundation.org
2. Details of the progress of the Working Party will be posted on the Council’s website: www.nuffieldbioethics.org
Last Updated Thu, 10 June 2004