Personalized Prescriptions: Russ Altman's TEDx Talk

The mission of PharmGKB and the role of CPIC's therapeutic guidelines are nicely introduced in Russ's TEDxStanford talk, in which he uses the commonly prescribed drug codeine as an example to explain pharmacogenetics.

4 basic lessons are outlined:
1. People don't respond in the same way to drugs.
2. Genetics is behind our response to drugs and these differences.
3. PharmGKB is a resource for this information.
4. Physicians want to use PGx in their practice...CPIC writes evidence-based guidelines to enable this to happen.

• Watch the talk
• For more information on PharmGKB read Whirl-Carrillo et al, 2012
• Learn more about codeine and CYP2D6
• Read the CPIC CYP2D6 genotype-based therapeutic recommendations for codeine

New Pathway for Abacavir

We have posted a new pathway on PharmGKB summarizing the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and pharmacogenetics of abacavir.

Abacavir is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) pro-drug, used for treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Abacavir is converted through several enzymatic steps into its active form, carbovir 5’-triphosphate (CBV-TP), which works by blocking the action of HIV reverse transcriptase. Approximately 5-8% of patients experience a hypersensitivity reaction (HSR) within the first 6 weeks of abacavir treatment. These HSRs can be severe and even fatal, particularly if the drug is discontinued then rechallenged. Abacavir HSRs have been strongly linked with the presence of the HLA-B*57:01 allele. For more information on the pharmacogenetics of abacavir, as well as the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, please view the entire pathway description.

View all pathways on PharmGKB.

Update to CYP2C19 TPP lookup table

We have verified that position rs3758581 in CYP2C19*1 is allele A. The CYP2C19 TPP lookup table has been updated accordingly.

View CYP2C19 haplotypes.