INTRO TO STUDY DESIGNS (P2)

Molecular Pharmacoepidemiology
Pharmacogenetics
Pharmacogenomics
Pharmacoeconomics
Pharmionics

Specialized Areas of Pharmacoepidemiology

Molecular Pharmacoepidemiology

Specialized Areas of Pharmacoepidemiology
This field studies:
- Biomarkers (e.g., receptors, proteins)
- Cellular pathways
- Disease mechanisms

Instead of saying:
"Drug A reduces cancer mortality"
We refine it to:
"Drug A works only in tumors with a specific receptor"

- Identifies biological reasons for adverse drug reactions
-Improves risk prediction in populations

Pharmacogenetics

Specialized Areas of Pharmacoepidemiology
Studies how individual genetic differences (single genes) affect drug response.
> Adds individual-level variation to population studies
> Helps explain why not all patients respond the same
Example: In a population study, some patients experience toxicity -> pharmacogenetics explains which gene causes it.

Pharmacogenomics

Specialized Areas of Pharmacoepidemiology
- Combines two scientific areas, pharmacology and genomics, to study how a person's DNA affects their response to medications.
- Can help healthcare providers better predict if a medication will be helpful for their patient, what dosage is most appropriate and if a patient is at risk for an adverse reaction.
- Identifies subgroups of patients who benefit or are at risk
It allows:
- Stratifying populations into genetic subgroups
- Moving toward precision medicine
From:
"Same drug for everyone"
To:
"Right drug for the right genetic profile"

Pharmacogene

A gene that is known to contain variants in some people that affect their response to a medication(s).

Pharmacoeconomics

Specialized Areas of Pharmacoepidemiology
- It compares different drug treatments to determine their clinical benefits versus costs, helping drug formulators, policy-makers, such as insurers and providers, ensure affordability and maximize patient outcomes.
Drug A: cheap, moderate benefit
Drug B: very expensive, slightly better

Cost- Effectiveness Analysis
Cost Utility Analysis
Cost Benefit Analysis
Cost Minimization Analysis

Types of Pharmacoeconomics

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA)

Types of Pharmacoeconomics
Evaluates costs and health outcomes (e.g., life years saved).

Cost-Utility Analysis (CUA)

Types of Pharmacoeconomics
Measures benefits in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) or patient preferences.

Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA)

Types of Pharmacoeconomics
Values both costs and health outcomes in monetary terms.

Cost-Minimization Analysis (CMA)

Types of Pharmacoeconomics
Assumes equivalent health outcomes and compares only the costs of interventions.

Pharmionics

Specialized Areas of Pharmacoepidemiology
- The investigation of what the patient actually does with the drug after it has been prescribed.
- In pharmacoepidemiology, it provides essential data on dose-taking behavior and patient-level adherence, bridging the gap between prescribed therapy and actual outcomes.
"Are outcomes affected because patients are not taking the drug properly?"

Post-Marketing Surveillance (Drug Safety Monitoring)
Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) Detection
Drug Utilization Studies
Comparative Effectiveness Research
Pharmacovigilance Systems
Risk-Benefit Assessment
Studies in Special Populations
Pharmacoepidemiology in Public Health
Drug Policy and Regulatory Decision-Making
Pharmacoeconomics

Special Application