WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Today, U.S. Representatives Dan Crenshaw (TX-02) and Eric Swalwell (CA-14), introduced bipartisan legislation to better address drug-gene interactions to ensure that all Americans have access to treatment personalized to their needs.
The Right Drug Dose Now Act will enable the use of evidence-based pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing to prevent adverse drug events and help ensure that patients receive medications tailored to their genetic makeup. PGx is the study of how genes affect the body’s response to certain medicines, which is critical to understanding how safe and effective a particular drug can be for each person.
The Right Drug Does Now Act aims to update the National Action Plan for Adverse Drug Event Prevention by integrating advancements in pharmacogenomic research and testing. It seeks to enhance electronic health records (EHRs) with pharmacogenomic information to improve patient care and reduce adverse drug events. The Right Drug Dose Now Act represents a significant step forward in integrating pharmacogenomic research into clinical practice. By updating the National Action Plan for Adverse Drug Event Prevention and enhancing EHR systems, this act aims to reduce adverse drug events, improve patient care, and pave the way for more personalized medicine approaches.
“More personalized care means better health outcomes for patients,” said Congressman Dan Crenshaw. “This bill will ensure drugs are tailored to each person’s unique needs, it will save on health care costs, and improve lives.”
“Adverse drug events are the fourth leading cause of death in this country,” said Congressman Eric Swalwell, co-Chair of the Personalized Medicine Caucus. “By factoring genetic testing results into medical prescription decisions, we can have the knowledge to better treat a range of conditions while reducing adverse drug events. PGx will help medical professionals and patients be well informed to decide effective treatments for each clinical case.”
“We applaud Reps. Swalwell and Crenshaw for introducing the Right Drug Dose Now Act,” said Edward Abrahams, President, Personalized Medicine Coalition. “By streamlining activities across multiple federal agencies and health care delivery, this bill would spark more widespread utilization of genetically informed prescribing practices that keep American patients out of the hospital.”
“In the realm of healthcare, precision is paramount,” said Celeste Miranda, President of the American Pharmacogenomics Association. Pharmacogenomics can ensure that each patient receives the right medication, at the right dose, right from the start, mitigating the risk of adverse drug reactions and enhancing patient care. The Right Drug Dose Now Act is not just a legislative milestone; it’s a beacon of hope for millions seeking safer, more effective healthcare solutions.”
This legislation is supported by the Personalized Medicine Coalition, American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, Invitae, Association for Managed Care Pharmacy, American Society of Pharmacovigilance, American Pharmacogenomics Association, Genomind, OneOme, GenXys, Sanford Imagenetics, YouScript, Aransica, AccessDx, 2bPrecise, and the GTMRx Institute.
For full text of the bill click here.
For a section by section summary click here.