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UH professor urges better prevention and care of liver disease to reduce burden

Chronic liver disease in the US costs $41.57 billion, with prescription medication expenditures accounting for nearly half of all-cause healthcare expenditures. Poor adherence to antiviral medications is a key factor in preventing disease progression and treatment, with high out-of-pocket costs increasing non-adherence risk.

SourceUniversity of Houston·JournalExpert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research·DateApr 28, 2026

UBCO study finds microdosing can temporarily improve mood, creativity

A UBC Okanagan study found that microdosing psychedelics temporarily improves mood, creativity, and wellbeing, but these effects do not persist on non-dosing days. The study, tracking over 1,435 participants from 49 countries, suggests that microdosing may 'reactivate' or build upon prior effects of larger-dose psychedelic experiences.

SourceUniversity of British Columbia Okanagan campus·JournalPsychopharmacology·TypeLiterature review·DateDec 11, 2025

Bipolar disorder heterogeneity decoded: transforming global psychiatric treatment approaches

A renowned geneticist, Dr. Martin Alda, has made a groundbreaking discovery that bipolar disorder is composed of multiple genetically distinct disorders, transforming treatment approaches worldwide. His research also highlights the importance of combining basic research with clinical observations to advance psychiatric care.

SourceGenomic Press·JournalGenomic Psychiatry·TypeNews article·DateOct 7, 2025

Common arthritis drug reveals hidden benefit

Researchers found that methotrexate significantly lowers systolic blood pressure in people with rheumatoid arthritis. The study suggests that this could be a new benefit of the drug beyond its usual role in treating inflammation, and may also provide protection against heart disease.

SourceFlinders University·JournalAnnals of Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 3, 2025

New gene therapy delivery device could let hospitals create personalized nanomedicines on-demand

A new gene therapy delivery device called NANOSPRESSO could revolutionize how hospitals treat rare diseases by allowing them to create personalized nanomedicines in-house. This democratized approach to precision medicine could boost access to low-cost bespoke gene and RNA therapies, especially in low-resource settings.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Science·TypeSystematic review·DateJun 26, 2025

Genetic markers for depression reveal consistent patterns in psychiatric treatment outcomes

Research synthesizes evidence from dozens of studies on polygenic scores and their clinical implications, revealing consistent patterns that could contribute to personalized psychiatric care. Higher genetic risk for depression correlates with poorer treatment outcomes, including nonresponse to antidepressants and mood stabilizers.

SourceGenomic Press·JournalGenomic Psychiatry·TypeLiterature review·DateJun 24, 2025

A new look at the Stateville prison malaria research

Researchers at University of Utah reveal the untold story of Black prisoners who participated in malaria experiments, leading to breakthroughs in pharmacogenetics and prevention of adverse drug reactions. The study highlights the importance of acknowledging the contributions of marginalized groups in medical research.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalJAMA·TypeLiterature review·DateJun 11, 2025

Integrating pharmacogenomic guided prescribing into routine clinical practice – promising results from the NHS PROGRESS study

The NHS PROGRESS study integrates pharmacogenomic guided prescribing into routine clinical practice, providing actionable guidance to clinicians. The study found that over 95% of patients received a pharmacogenomic result related to their medication, with nearly one in four prescriptions adjusted to safer or more effective treatments.

SourceEuropean Society of Human Genetics·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 26, 2025

New study reveals potential link between GLP1 agonists and depression: Calls for urgent attention

A recent study published in Current Neuropharmacology suggests a potential link between Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP1) receptor agonists and depression, particularly in individuals with low dopamine function. The authors urge caution and recommend genetic testing to identify individuals at risk before prescribing these medications.

SourceBentham Science Publishers·JournalCurrent Neuropharmacology·DateApr 17, 2025

Age impacts pharmacogenomics and treatment outcomes for most common form of leukemia- LINK

Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital identified age-related differences in B-ALL treatment outcomes, with children being more sensitive to certain drugs. The study suggests that both age and individual genomics must be considered to predict treatment response, leading to the need for tailored treatment strategies.

SourceSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital·JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 5, 2024

Association for molecular pathology publishes recommendations to facilitate design and implementation of clinical pharmacogenomic DPYD genotyping assays

The Association for Molecular Pathology has published consensus guidelines for clinical DPYD genotyping assays to improve patient care and standardize testing. The recommendations include a tiered system of variants with well-characterized effects on protein function, gene expression, and minor allele frequency.

SourceAssociation for Molecular Pathology·JournalJournal of Molecular Diagnostics·DateJul 22, 2024

Light-activated drugs targeting adenosine A2A receptors in the brain that induce sleep

Researchers developed a novel light-sensitive drug that enhances extracellular adenosine activity, inducing sleep artificially without genetic modification. The drug overcomes issues with conventional photosensitive drugs, showcasing optochemistry's potential in targeting A2A receptors and regulating brain function.

Genetic testing could greatly benefit patients with depression, save health system millions

A new study suggests that genetic testing for depression could lead to significant cost savings and improved patient outcomes. The test, known as pharmacogenomic testing, can help match patients with medications that are more likely to be effective and cause fewer side effects.

SourceUniversity of British Columbia·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateNov 14, 2023

Genetic study shows that common medication used to prevent heart attacks may be ineffective for majority of British South Asians

A genetic study of 44,396 British people of Bangladeshi and Pakistani ancestry found that 57% have a genetic variant that renders clopidogrel ineffective in preventing recurrent heart attacks. People with two loss of function variants were more than three times more likely to experience recurrent heart attacks due to treatment failure.

SourceQueen Mary University of London·JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 21, 2023

Association for Molecular Pathology publishes clinical CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 genotyping assay recommendations

The Association for Molecular Pathology has published clinical CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 genotyping assay recommendations to standardize testing across laboratories. The guidelines aim to improve patient care by providing guidance on allele selection, assay validation, and therapeutic recommendations.

SourceAssociation for Molecular Pathology·JournalJournal of Molecular Diagnostics·DateJul 10, 2023

Researchers overcome stem cell delivery barrier, paving the way for regenerative medicine

Scientists have developed a new method to deliver genetic information to stem cells using nanoparticles coated with a specific polymer, enabling more efficient control over cellular differentiation. This innovation has the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of regenerative medicine treatments.

SourceXi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University·JournalNano Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 8, 2023

Aging | The potential benefit of metformin to reduce delirium risk and mortality: a retrospective cohort study

A retrospective cohort study of 1,404 subjects with type 2 diabetes found that metformin use reduced the risk of delirium by 50% and decreased 3-year mortality rates. The study suggests that metformin may be a potential benefit for patients with diabetes, particularly in reducing age-related disorders such as dementia.

SourceImpact Journals LLC·JournalAging-US·TypeObservational study·DateDec 7, 2022

AMP recommends minimum set of pharmacogenetic alleles to guide design, development, and validation of clinical TPMT and NUDT15 genotyping assays

The Association for Molecular Pathology has published consensus recommendations for clinical TPMT and NUDT15 genotyping assays, promoting standardization across laboratories. The report identifies a minimum set of alleles to include in clinical tests, enabling healthcare professionals to provide high-quality patient care.

SourceAssociation for Molecular Pathology·JournalJournal of Molecular Diagnostics·DateAug 25, 2022

Researchers at the GIST develop deep learning model to predict adverse drug-drug interactions

Researchers developed a deep learning-based model to predict drug-drug interactions using gene expression data. The DeSIDE-DDI model can identify potentially dangerous pairs and act as a drug safety monitoring system, helping establish the correct usage of drugs in the development phase.

SourceGIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology)·JournalJournal of Cheminformatics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 4, 2022

Personalized testing for safety and effectiveness of common medicines must be offered throughout the health service

A report by the British Pharmacological Society and Royal College of Physicians recommends integrating pharmacogenomic testing to ensure medicines work safely and effectively for individual patients. The UK is a world leader in genomic medicine, and expanded testing would further demonstrate this leadership.

SourceBritish Pharmacological Society·JournalBritish Journal of Clinical Pharmacology·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateMar 28, 2022

Study involving investigators from Mayo Clinic, Baylor College of Medicine applies drug-gene testing to improve patient care and reports outcomes

A new study from Mayo Clinic and Baylor College of Medicine found that targeted genomic information can significantly impact drug prescribing practices. By applying drug-gene testing, clinicians can identify nearly every patient as a potential candidate for preemptive testing, particularly for drugs with unknown genetic influences.

SourceMayo Clinic·JournalGenetics in Medicine·DateMar 22, 2022

Genetic study unveils actionable variation affecting drug efficacy and safety in the Qatari population

A comprehensive genetic study found actionable pharmacogenomic variation affecting drugs in the Qatari population, highlighting diverse distribution of variants compared to other world populations. The study suggests potential implications for preemptive pharmacogenomic implementation in Qatar and beyond.

SourceQatar Foundation·Journalnpj Genomic Medicine·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 15, 2022

An effectiveness study of combinatorial pharmacogenetics testing to guide the treatment of depression in adolescents

A randomized controlled trial of combinatorial pharmacogenetics testing found no significant improvement in depressive symptoms among adolescents with depression. However, the study suggests that testing results may influence physician decision-making and could be useful in specific cases where individual gene-drug pairs impact clinica...

SourceElsevier·JournalJournal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJan 25, 2022

Killing pain without hurting the body: Novel compound that is potentially safer than current drugs

Researchers discover novel compound AD732 with anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, outperforming standard NSAIDs while causing minimal harm. The compound may be a safer alternative for treating pain and inflammation in difficult diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

SourceRitsumeikan University·JournalEuropean Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 14, 2021