Digna Velez Edwards | Project 1 PGx Testing | MPRINT 2026 | Day 4

Project 1, Assessing the Knowledge & Attitudes Regarding PGx Testing Among Pediatric and Pregnant Populations (Aim 1) Presented by Digna R. Velez Edwards, PhD, MS Division Director, Quantitative Services Director, Women's Health Research Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology Vanderbilt University Medical Center Recorded 4/16/2026 at the 2026 MPRINT Annual Meeting. In this presentation, Dr. Digna Velez Edwards discusses Project 1, Aim 1 of the Vanderbilt Center initiative, which seeks to assess knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions regarding pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing among pediatric and pregnant populations. Pharmacogenomics has the potential to improve medication safety and effectiveness by using genetic information to guide therapeutic decision-making, yet implementation in maternal and pediatric populations remains limited. Dr. Velez Edwards reviews the current landscape of pharmacogenomic testing and highlights the growing number of medications with pharmacogenomic information included in FDA labeling. While precision medicine initiatives continue to expand, important gaps remain in understanding how pregnant individuals, parents, caregivers, and pediatric patients perceive pharmacogenomic testing and its potential role in clinical care. The presentation describes a community-engaged research framework designed to evaluate awareness, knowledge, trust, perceived benefits, concerns, and willingness to participate in pharmacogenomic testing. Survey instruments and stakeholder engagement activities were developed to better understand barriers and facilitators to implementation across diverse populations. Particular attention is given to issues surrounding privacy, data sharing, health literacy, access to testing, and confidence in the use of genetic information for healthcare decisions. Dr. Velez Edwards presents preliminary findings and discusses how these results will inform future educational interventions, implementation strategies, and research efforts designed to support equitable integration of pharmacogenomics into maternal and pediatric healthcare. The project represents an important step toward understanding patient-centered perspectives on precision medicine and identifying opportunities to improve uptake and clinical utility of pharmacogenomic testing. About MPRINT: The Indiana CTSI Pharmacometric Modeling and Simulation Program and Maternal Pediatric Precision in Therapeutics Hub (MPRINT Hub) supports collaboration, education, and research in pharmacometrics, model-informed drug development, translational science, and clinical pharmacology. Conference details: Event: MPRINT Annual Meeting 2026 Day: 4 Date: April 16, 2026 Location: Hine Hall, Indianapolis, IN Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and project overview 00:47 Background on pharmacogenomic testing 01:25 Why PGx research is needed in maternal and pediatric populations 02:03 Physiological differences affecting PGx implementation 02:49 Project goals and study rationale 03:42 Survey development and stakeholder engagement 04:56 Assessing knowledge and awareness 06:18 Attitudes toward PGx testing 07:45 Trust, privacy, and ethical considerations 09:11 Participant perspectives and preliminary findings 10:47 Barriers to implementation 12:08 Opportunities for patient education 13:24 Future directions 14:02 Conclusions and acknowledgments Accessibility: Captions/subtitles are available for this video. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this presentation are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect those of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Indiana University, Purdue University, the Indiana CTSI, or affiliated organizations.