Information technology meets pharmacogenomics: Design specifications of an integrated personalized pharmacogenomics information system

It is broadly recognized that current advances in post-genomics research promise to change and even revolutionize the way genomic and personalised medicine is performed. Building on these advances, pharmacogenomics aim towards the discovery, analysis and interpretation of findings that relate the genetic effects of individuals to drug responses. It is most evident that information systems, which provide important information on associations between gene-variants and drug disposition, will become an integral tool for biomedical researchers and medical practitioners. Here, we propose the design of an integrated electronic pharmacogenomics assistant that provides personalized drug recommendations. The system is based on linked genotype-to-phenotype pharmacogenomics knowledge, and acts as a single portal that supports medical professionals and researchers in the identification and documentation of PGx data and knowledge.