Why I launched a pharmacogenomics learning program

Pharmacogenomics is the study of how an individual's genetic makeup influences their response to drugs. It combines pharmacology (the study of how drugs interact with the body) and genomics (the study of an individual's genes and their functions). The goal of pharmacogenomics is to personalize medicine by understanding how genetic variations can affect a person's response to medications. So you can see how pharmacists, as medication experts, are a cornerstone to the safe implementation and accelerated adoption of pharmacogenomics (PGx). To help them be better equipped to provide that service, I’m excited to announce the launch of my Australasian Precision Medicine Academy (APMA) pharmacogenomics program.What began as a mere idea turned into a full program when, after reading my blogs and hearing me speak on my podcast about my career in PGx ,several pharmacists reached out to inquire about how they could launch a PGx service in their communities like I have. Interestingly, a number of these were from Canada, which demonstrates the power of social media presence. It was clear that the current state of PGx education is not meeting the demands of the changing healthcare landscape. There are some US-based certification PGx programs, but it was clear to me that pharmacists need more than just a certification program—they wanted to know ‘how to implement’ and not just the ‘what’ or the clinical knowledge; especially the business and marketing aspects of launching a novel service like this.A focus on business sustainability This is something that stands out as particularly challenging in the pharmacy practice landscape. We are experts at providing free advice, but not many of us are brave enough to charge for our services. It is an inherent problem in pharmacy. All other health professionals charge for their services; we’re the only ones who provide advice for free. I was adamant about creating something new—a program that shows pharmacists the ‘how’ of this specialty business. How do you monetize your knowledge? It’s well and good to have clinical knowledge, but if you can’t turn that into money, it’s like injecting poison slowly into your business or the service you’re building; it will neither thrive nor be sustainable. The APMA program is like no other PGx certification program. While one-third of the program is dedicated to providing clinical knowledge, two-thirds of the program is devoted to providing pharmacists with the implementation and business knowledge that are arguably more important than the clinical knowledge. This is what will arm pharmacists with the tools and confidence to build a sustainable PGx service wherever they set out to practice. When a few pharmacists from Canada officially joined the program, it confirmed for me that the program is resonating with pharmacists globally. I named it the Australasian Precision Medicine Academy because there are no programs on this side of the globe, so I wanted it to stand out to professionals here, where I live. But the content is universal, covering clinical PGx principles, regulations and reimbursement of PGx in different countries. I designed the content with a focus on the wider principles of application of PGx rather than focusing on one specific health system. The program is micro-credentialed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority for 50 hours of learning and clinicians who complete the program can use the postnominal CPGx. It is also listed on the PharmGKB (Pharmacogenomics Knowledge Base) as a recognized PGx educational program. It is a comprehensive 12-week Pharmacogenomics Certification, Implementation, Business, Marketing and Launching Program, compressing my 2+ years of knowledge in the field, with a focus on what works and what doesn't when it comes to launching a service of this kind. It is divided into three parts • 35+ modules• 40+ learning hours• 2 Live Sessions Part I covers the clinical knowledge from PGx evidence, principles, regulation, ethical considerations, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of PGx in different body systems, with specific content on PGx in oncology, internal medicine, pain, psychiatry and cardiology, along with the role of PGx testing in preventing hypersensitivity reactions. Part II covers the implementation aspect of PGx, such as the testing process, communication, selling the PGx idea to patients and collaborating with prescribers and labs. The program ensures the pharmacist is partnered with a PGx testing lab and ensures a seamless process for ordering and receiving tests. Part III, the final part, brings it all together to build a sustainable and viable service or model, covering everything from finding patients, beta testing and information storage to marketing a business, reaching out to patients, and concepts like having an entrepreneur mindset and launching a new idea. Some of the other features include:• A private support community• Newsletter and research updates • lead magnets to attract patients Personalized medicine is advancing rapidly, and there is strong evidence for the utility of pharmacogenomics in the fields of psychiatry, oncology and cardiology, including strong evidence for its cost-effectiveness and cost-saving potential in reducing medication harm. This is the next era in pharmacy practice and we’ve got to stay ahead of the curve. If pharmacists do not champion PGx, it is a lost opportunity for our profession. We’ve got to meet the changing landscape of patient expectations. Many patients have had enough of the status quo of healthcare and are looking for solutions and personalized treatments; there isn't a better time to adopt pharmacogenomics. I aspire to create a movement in pharmacy where we champion new clinical services and value our services enough that we can communicate this value to patients and have the courage to charge patients. The novelty of personalized medicine seems like a great place to start, so I call on pharmacists to join the movement. Those who want to join the academy can head over to the APMA website.

PharmXcel

Why I launched a pharmacogenomics learning program

Register for free access or login.

Blog Author

Katrina Azer

Related Topics