A Glasgow man has partaken in a cutting-edge NHS trial which could offer new hope to patients.
Matthew McKinnon, 88, from Deaconsbank took part in the PHOENIX study after suffering a stroke and being admitted to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH).
The trial, led by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in partnership with the University of Glasgow, aims to match patients with the medicines most suited to their genetic makeup in hopes of reducing side effects and improving treatment outcomes.
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Mr McKinnon said: "I filled in a consent form, and I provided a cheek swab that was used to test my DNA and my genes, and this information was then used to try and match my medicine to me.
"Within quite a short time they said they were changing my medicine where my statin was changed to another medication with lower risk side effects.
"They said people react differently to medicines because of the way your body breaks it down.
"So they said they were matching my medicine to my genes so that it can have the maximum effect.
"It sounded quite exciting to me."
PHOENIX has reached a key milestone, with more than 2,000 patients now enrolled in the study.
Mr McKinnon said participating gave him extra reassurance about his care.
He said: "I thought it was amazing – I was astounded with the progress of what they can do now.
"Sometimes you take medicine and wonder if it’s doing you any good, but now I’ve got some assurance that this is the medicine for my own genes, so you can’t really beat that."
The PHOENIX trial is being run in collaboration with the University of Glasgow’s Living Laboratory, the West of Scotland Innovation Hub, and industry partners MyDNA and Agena Bioscience.
Eligible adult inpatients at QEUH from specialties including cardiology, stroke, orthopaedics, and gynaecology are being recruited for the study.
Professor Sandosh Padmanabhan, consultant at QEUH and chief investigator for the study, said: "This milestone of more than 2,000 participants is a significant achievement and reflects the willingness of patients to help shape the future of healthcare.
"PHOENIX is showing how we can move away from a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach and instead use genetic information to guide treatment decisions."
Researchers hope the trial will provide evidence to support the routine use of pharmacogenomics in patient care.
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