Pharmacogenomics Awareness and Application Readiness Among Pharmacists and Physicians in Teaching Hospitals in South East Nigeria

Pharmacogenomics, the study of how genetic variation influences drug response, holds significant promise for personalizing drug therapy and reducing adverse drug reactions. While pharmacogenomics has begun to enter routine clinical practice internationally, its relevance and readiness for application in Nigerian teaching hospitals has not been empirically examined. This study assessed awareness, knowledge, and readiness to apply pharmacogenomics among pharmacists and physicians at teaching hospitals in South East Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 180 pharmacists and 140 physicians at four teaching hospitals across Anambra, Enugu, and Abia States using a validated pharmacogenomics knowledge and attitude questionnaire. Knowledge was assessed on pharmacogenomics principles, relevant genes and drug pairs, and ethical considerations. Only 38 percent of pharmacists and 29 percent of physicians demonstrated adequate pharmacogenomics knowledge. Awareness of specific gene-drug pairs such as CYP2D6-codeine and TPMT-azathioprine was limited to under 25 percent of all respondents. Despite low knowledge, 78 percent expressed strong interest in pharmacogenomics training, and 66 percent believed it would benefit patient care in their setting. Lack of formal pharmacogenomics education in Nigerian pharmacy and medical curricula was identified as the primary knowledge gap. The study recommends integration of pharmacogenomics modules into undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacy and medicine curricula, and advocates for pilot pharmacogenomics consultation services led by clinical pharmacists in teaching hospitals as a readiness building strategy. Keywords: pharmacogenomics, personalized medicine, teaching hospitals, South East Nigeria, gene-drug interactions