Pharmacogenetics: ethical issues

Published 22/09/2003

Research in pharmacogenetics investigates how differences in our genes can affect our response to medicines.

To explore what pharmacogenetics offers now and is likely to offer in the near future. In particular to examine the effect of pharmacogenetics on:
1. the design of medicines, the promotion of efficacy and safety in the administration of medicines to individuals;
2. the conduct of clinical trials in the context of pharmaceutical research and development;
3. clinical practice.
To consider ethical issues specifically raised by pharmacogenetics. In particular to examine the following areas:
1. consent, privacy and confidentiality;
2. the management of information about the likelihood of response to treatment;
3. the implications of differentiating individuals into groups based on the likelihodd of response to treatment.
To consider the implications for the provision of healthcare.

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