Pharmacogenetics: Knowledge assessment amongst Syrian pharmacists and physicians.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacogenetics targets genetic variations that influence drug response. It is relatively a new science that has not been vastly employed in most developing countries including Syria. Therefore we aimed at evaluating the depth of knowledge in pharmacogenetics and the attitude towards it amongst Syrian pharmacists and physicians. METHODS: We carried out an internet-based questionnaire consisted of 26 questions, sent through specialized websites and private groups with a large number of pharmacists and physicians members. The survey was available online for a period of 1 month. RESULTS: The total number of respondents was 154, mostly female pharmacists. Our statistical analysis showed a strong positive association between profession (in favour of pharmacists) and pharmacogenetics knowledge p = 0.049; however, no correlation with experience p = 0.811 was found. A significant difference was reported between the knowledge of pharmacists and physicians p = 0.001 concerning drugs that need pharmacogenetics testing before being prescribed. The majority of respondents had no information about applying genetic tests in Syria before prescribing medications nor did they possess the knowledge regarding drugs that show differential responses in patients according to their unique genotypes. In our study, the percentage knowledge assessment score was low in general (mean ± Standard deviation, SD) (46% ± 13.9%). The majority of the respondents agreed that pharmacists should provide counselling to patients on the subject of pharmacogenetics. Respondents' opinions varied concerning making pharmacogenetics learning a priority. CONCLUSION: Lack of pharmacogenetics knowledge was found amongst respondents in general. Our findings raise concerns about the lack of awareness amongst physicians, which may hinder the implementation of this crucial field in Syria. We suggest an emphasis on the role of education, training, and conducting genotyping research on the Syrian population.

Management of infants born to mothers with SARS-CoV2 infection: a prospective observational study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the clinical risk of mother-to-infant transmission of SARS-CoV2 and transmission during rooming in and breast feeding in infants born to mothers with COVID-19. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: A large tertiary maternal and neonatal care centre based in the UAE. PARTICIPANTS: Infants born to mothers diagnosed to have COVID-19 at the time of delivery, born between 1 April and 15 June 2020. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Rate of transmission of SARS-CoV2 from mother to infant (vertical or horizontal) while rooming in and breast feeding in hospital and post discharge and associated morbidity and mortality in the neonatal period. RESULTS: 73 infants were born to mothers with COVID-19 at the time of delivery. Two infants tested positive for SARS-CoV2 after birth-one had respiratory symptoms related to other causes and the other infant remained well. 57 of mother-infant dyads who were well enough, roomed in while in hospital and all were breast fed. All surviving infants were followed up by telephone at 2 weeks and 4 weeks (or from the patient record review if still on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Majority of the discharged infants were still rooming in with mothers (95% at 2 weeks, 99% at 4 weeks) and still breast fed (99% at 2 weeks, 99% at 4 weeks). None of the infants developed any significant health issues or developed symptoms attributable to SARS-CoV2. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of mother-to-infant transmission of SARS-CoV2, vertically or horizontally, in the perinatal period is very low. Breast feeding and rooming in can be practised safely with adequate infection control precautions with negligible clinical risk to the infant.