Pharmacogenetics (PGx) testing helps doctors tailor medications and doses based on a patient’s genetic profile, improving treatment outcomes and reducing side effects. Despite its proven clinical and economic benefits, PGx testing has not been widely adopted. This is partly due to challenges in standardizing how genetic test results are reported and integrating these results into electronic medical records (EMRs). Different laboratories use various formats for reporting PGx data, making it difficult for healthcare providers to access and use this information effectively.
The PGx-EFAIR project aims to address this barrier by creating solutions to standardize and integrate PGx data into EMRs in Alberta (AB) and British Columbia (BC). Working with provincial government, health authorities, and industry partners, the project will develop a unified data format, design software to automate the translation of genetic test results into standardized formats and create machine-readable messages to ensure seamless EMR integration and data exchange across healthcare systems.
Aligned with Canada’s Pan-Canadian Interoperability Roadmap and legislative efforts like Bill C-72, this project will improve how genetic data is shared and used in healthcare. Building on existing initiatives in AB and BC, PGx-EFAIR will create tools and frameworks to make PGx data machine-readable, well-documented, and interoperable.
The project will deliver:
- A unified data format for PGx testing results.
- A software application to automate data standardization.
- Validated data exchange protocols to ensure compatibility with EMRs.
By enhancing the accessibility and usability of PGx data, PGx-EFAIR will support its widespread adoption, enabling personalized medicine. The results will benefit not only AB and BC, but also have potential applications across Canada and internationally, addressing similar challenges in other regions aiming to implement PGx testing.
