Recipient: Dr Rachel Conyers
Institute: The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
Funding: $286,502 July 2022 to June 2025
Pharmacogenetics is the study of how genes affect the body's response to certain drugs and why an individual’s genetic makeup delivers positive outcomes for some and negative effects for others.
The goal of pharmacogenetic testing is to make medications safer for the individual, avoiding significant and potentially lifelong side effects. This is particularly important for survivors of childhood cancer, where 85% of patients will survive five years or more.
The PRIORITY-P Project addresses the level of unacceptable toxicities that can result from cancer therapy as well as identifying those patients who, if exposed to certain drugs, may carry a risk of life-threatening consequences, experience ineffective therapy, multiple hospital admissions and lifelong co-morbidities.
The PRIORITY-P Project will provide a patient with pharmacogenetic testing; clinical decision support tools (embedded within their electronic medical record) to aid clinicians in their prescribing decision; as well as provide pharmacogenetic information and education to patients, their carers, primary physicians, and nursing coordinator.