SAUDI ARABIA—Since its inception in September last year, the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC) has made considerable progress in personalized medicine by conducting pharmacogenetic tests on over 1,500 patients.
This innovative approach tailors medications to a patient’s genetic makeup, allowing healthcare providers to accurately predict drug efficacy and choose the most effective and safest treatments for each individual.
This shift departs from the traditional “one-size-fits-all” strategy, where the same drug and dosage are prescribed to all patients.
Instead, pharmacogenetic analysis focuses on understanding how individual genetic differences can influence drug responses.
Results from the initial cohort of patients revealed that over 70% had at least three genes with altered functions, showcasing the power of this service in predicting unique drug responses based on genetic data.
By tailoring treatments to individual genetic profiles, KFSHRC aims to minimize health risks associated with adverse drug reactions, improve the effectiveness of therapies, and enhance overall patient care.
Adverse drug effects account for 15% of hospital admissions globally, posing a considerable financial and human burden on healthcare systems.
The personalized approach taken by KFSHRC is a step towards reducing these risks and ensuring more efficient patient care.
Initially, KFSHRC offered pharmacogenetic services to patients in cardiology and neurology departments.
However, since April, the program has expanded to include organ transplant patients. The hospital plans to gradually roll out these services to all medical specialties, in line with its goal of providing personalized healthcare tailored to each patient’s needs.
This commitment to personalized medicine aligns with KFSHRC’s objective to uphold the highest safety and prevention standards by utilizing the most recent and scientifically validated practices worldwide.
KFSHRC drives innovation through clinical trials
In addition to its work in pharmacogenetics, KFSHRC has continued to lead in clinical research through its Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative (CTTI) in 2021.
This initiative created a unified platform for high-quality, diverse, and efficient clinical trials, which has boosted KFSHRC’s position as a leader in evidence-based research.
In 2023 alone, KFSHRC initiated 140 new clinical trials, providing life-saving treatments to over 1,200 patients and enhancing outcomes across various medical fields.
Additionally, its involvement in more than 80 clinical studies has driven significant advancements in medical innovation and patient care, generating healthcare cost savings of 62 million SAR.
KFSHRC held the Clinical Trials Awareness Campaign at Riyadh Park Mall earlier this year to raise public awareness about the value of clinical trials.
The campaign coincided with International Clinical Trials Day and featured interactive sessions and expert-led discussions.
It emphasized the transformative impact of clinical research and encouraged public participation, which is crucial for the success of both ongoing and future studies.
Moreover, KFSHRC’s partnerships with key regulatory bodies, such as the Saudi National Institute of Health (SNIH) and the Saudi Food & Drug Authority (SFDA), have accelerated the approval of clinical trials.
These collaborations ensure that treatments are delivered swiftly to patients while maintaining stringent safety and efficacy standards.
At the Global Health Exhibition 2024, KFSHRC and SFDA solidified their partnership by signing an agreement to contribute essential data to the national safety database, reinforcing pharmaceutical safety research.
This agreement is expected to strengthen public health regulations, support evidence-based policy-making, and guarantee that clinical trials meet the highest safety standards for prompt and secure treatment approvals.
Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE