BEHAVIOURAL INTENTION TO ADOPT PHARMACOGENOMICS AND ITS PREDICTING FACTORS IN MALAYSIA

Advances in pharmacogenomics technology research have, to a great extent, uncovered the differences in the genetic basis of interindividual responses to medication. Pharmacogenomics (PGx) is an evolving area in precision medicine with the goal of identifying an individual’s response to drugs, detecting those at risk of developing adverse events, and guiding healthcare providers in terms of selecting the correct drug dose. This technology is useful with regard to improving both the efficacy and the safety of drug prescribing. The successful development and implementation of this technology is highly dependent on public acceptance, which is reflected in their intention to adopt this technology. Therefore, this paper aims to assess the intention of the Malaysian stakeholders to adopt PGx and its associated predictors. Results of the study showed that the Malaysian stakeholders were moderately engaged with medical genetics, have high trust in the key players and were highly religious. Additionally they perceived PGx as highly beneficial and rated the risks and moral aspects as moderate which translated into high intention to adopt PGx.