Pharmacogenetics and Precision Medicine in ResourceConstrained Settings: Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

The deployment of emerging technologies and cutting-edge research has been a challenge in resource-constrained environments such as Africa due to several interlinked factors. The field of genomics has redefined biomedical advances since the completion of the first human genome project, showing the huge roles that inter-individual variations play in disease processes and their implication in clinical pharmacology. Until 2019, only about 2% of Genome Wide Association Studies represented Africa. With an estimated population close to one-fifth of the world as generated by the United Nations World Population Prospects in 2022, the underrepresentation of African ancestry in genomic research is concerning. Hence, it is paramount to put a spotlight on pharmacogenetics and precision medicine in Africa, given the genomic diversity that has been discovered so far, and the clinical advantages of tailored pharmacotherapy, even in the presence of traditional medical approaches. In this review, we highlighted the prospect of expanding precision medicine in Africa and the unique challenges that can lead to constrains in a resource-limited environment.