New NHS chair in pharmacogenetics named

The government's aim to ensure NHS patients benefit from the latest genetic developments moved a step closer with the appointment a new NHS chair in Pharmacogentics.

Clinical pharmacologist professor Munir Pirmohamed, who also chairs the Pharmacovigilance Expert Advisory Group, assumes his new role at University of Liverpool.

The appointment builds on the government's earlier £4m investment in pharmacogentics, which has funded six research projects and the publication of the genetics white paper "Our Inheritance, Our Future - realising the potential of genetics in the NHS" - published in June 2003.

The key aims for this post are to boost research capacity and to develop a leadership role to champion a wider understanding of the role and potential of pharmacogenetics for improved healthcare. The Department of Health (DH) will provide £3m over five years to fund the chair and support research focused on a number of common areas where drug reactions can be problematic.

Pirmohamed's work will look at the following areas: anticonvulsant therapy in epilepsy; steroids in children with asthma; beta-blocker therapy in some types of acute coronary syndrome, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) induced peptic ulceration.

He said: "The study of pharmacogenetics is vital to the public health of this country. One of our recent studies showed that at any one time the equivalent of more than seven 800-bed hospitals are taken up with the patients who have suffered the side effects of drugs they have been prescribed.

'This new investment will allow Liverpool to tackle this problem by providing the evidence base that is necessary to revolutionise the way important illnesses are treated in the UK and worldwide.

"It is important to note that the way we respond to drugs is determined not only by genetic factors but also by environmental factors such as our diet and if we smoke. Through this comprehensive research strategy, we will build up a very detailed clinical picture of each individual patient and link it to genetic profiles with the aim of maximising the efficacy and reducing the potential toxicity of treatments."

Health Minister Ben Bradshaw said: "Pharmacogenetics has enormous potential to improve the effectiveness and safety of the treatment patients receive and this post will make a major contribution to both boosting research capacity and raising awareness of pharmacogenetics among NHS clinicians."

Pharmacogenetics is the study of how people respond differently to medicines due to their genetic makeup, in terms of how well the medicine will work as well as what side effects the person might suffer. While pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are investing in this area of research, their focus has naturally been on innovative products that may not be marketed for some years.

The opportunity to bid for this funding was open to all higher education institutions in the UK.