Use of genomic medicine to uncover adverse effects related to direct oral anticoagulants

Having blasted onto the scene back in 2010 to provide a novel alternative to the previous standard of care in anticoagulation, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have since become an attractive treatment option for prescribers and patients (Chen et al, 2020). However, as with all treatments, DOACs are not without their side effects.

In a new development, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recently announced its intention to work with Genomics England to analyse patients' experiences of side effects reported from the use of DOACs. This will take place as part of a genetic biobank version of the Yellow Card adverse events reporting scheme, and will make use of gene sequencing to analyse the ways in which a person's genetic make-up may influence their response to DOACs (Clews, 2024).

The genetic biobank, which operates alongside the Yellow Card scheme and is thought to be first in the world, facilitates patient-reported suspected adverse effects of medicines and medical devices. It then stores genetic data and samples with the aim of identifying whether genetic traits are linked to the adverse reactions patients have experienced.