Economic evaluation of pharmacogenomic testing: Lessons from psychiatric pharmacogenomics

Although pharmacogenomics has the potential to personalize drug therapy, economic evaluations showing clinical benefits and cost-effectiveness would go a long way to facilitate implementation. Testing of single genes has shown some benefits as well as limitations, and some investigators advocated the use of combinatorial pharmacogenomics approach. In addition, debates continue regarding the most appropriate way of evaluating cost-benefits. Review of alternative approaches to assessing clinical validity and utility, as well as cost-effectiveness of pharmacogenomics testing within the psychiatric discipline, show some promises and progress, as well as questions to be addressed, for these two important aspects of pharmacogenomics testing.