Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Aug 31.
Published in final edited form as: Ann Intern Med. 2019 May 21;170(11):796–804. doi: 10.7326/M18-2357

Table 2. The Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) level A gene/drug pairs.

The CPIC considers all level A drugs to have high or moderate evidence in favor of using available genetic information when prescribing treatment, and at least one moderate or strong clinical action is recommended in the CPIC guidelines. The common genetic variants that influence the response of each drug is included along with a description of the potential benefit of using pharmacogenetics to prescribe medications and the level of evidence to assess the clinical utility of pharmacogenetic testing.

Drug Genetic* variants Potential Pharmacogenetic Benefit* Level of Evidence to Assess Clinical Utility Food and Drug Administration Labeling Requirement for Testing*
Antithrombic
Clopidogrel CYP2C19*1, *2, *3, *17 Prevent cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention Six randomized controlled trials
Conflicting evidence for pharmacogenetics.
Not required
Warfarin CYP2C9*1, *2, *3, *5, *6, *8, *11, rs12777823, VKORC1 –1639G>A, CYP4F2*3 Achieve therapeutic INR faster, increase time within therapeutic INR, reduce adverse bleeding events Three large randomized controlled trials
Conflicting evidence for pharmacogenetics.
Not required
Narcotics
Codeine CYP2D6*1, *2, *3, *4, *5, *6, *9, *10, *41 Identify patients with either high risk of drug toxicity (respiratory depression, nausea, vomiting, constipation) or ineffective response to codeine No studies Not required
Oxycodone
(refer to codeine CPIC guideline)
CYP2D6*1, *2, *3, *4, *5, *6 Identify patients with either high risk of drug toxicity (respiratory depression, nausea, vomiting, constipation) or ineffective response to oxycodone No studies Not required
Tramadol
(refer to codeine CPIC guideline)
CYP2D6*1, *2, *3, *4, *5, *6, *10 Prevent adverse events (respiratory depression, cardiotoxicity, or nausea) and maintain drug efficacy No studies Not required
Antidepressants
Amitriptyline CYP2D6*1, *2, *3, *4, *5, *6, *9, *10, *41
CYP2C19*1, *2, *3, *17
Prevent side effects (anticholinergic, CNS, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular) and increase likelihood of drug efficacy No studies Not required
Nortriptyline CYP2D6*1, *2, *3, *4, *5, *6, *9, *10, *41 Prevent side effects (anticholinergic, CNS, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular) and increase likelihood of drug efficacy No studies Not required
Fluvoxamine CYP2D6*1, *2, *3, *4, *5, *6, *9, *10, *41 Prevent side effects (CNS, gastrointestinal, sexual) No studies Not required
Citalopram CYP2C19*1, *2, *3, *17 Prevent adverse events (CNS, gastrointestinal, sexual, arrhythmias) and increase likelihood of drug efficacy No studies Not required
Escitalopram CYP2C19*1, *2, *3, *17 Prevent adverse events (CNS, gastrointestinal, sexual, arrhythmias) and increase likelihood of drug efficacy No studies Not required
Paroxetine CYP2D6*1, *2, *3, *4, *5, *6, *9, *10, *41 Prevent side effects (CNS, gastrointestinal, sexual) No studies Not required
Anticonvulsant
Carbamazepine HLA-B*15:02, HLA-A*31:01 Reduce incidence of Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, maculopapular exanthema, and other cutaneous adverse reactions; greater benefit in Southeast Asian populations (HLA-B*15:02 Allele Frequencies: East Asian 6.9%, Oceanian 5.4%, South/Central Asian 4.6%) Prospective screening study of HLA-B*15:02 in Taiwan§
Supportive evidence for pharmacogenetics.
Testing required for HLA-B*15:02
Phenytoin HLA-B*15:02, CYP2C9*1, *2, *3 Reduce risk of Steven Johnson Syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis in patients with HLA-B*15:02, avoid adverse events (sedation, ataxia, dizziness, nystagmus, nausea, cognitive impairment) in patients who are CYP2C9 poor metabolizers; high frequency of benefit in Southeast Asian populations (HLA-B*15:02 Allele Frequencies: East Asian 6.9%, Oceanian 5.4%, South/Central Asian 4.6%) No studies Not required
Oxcarbazepine HLA-B*15:02 Reduce risk of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis; high frequency of benefit in Southeast Asian populations (HLA-B*15:02 Allele Frequencies: East Asian 6.9%, Oceanian 5.4%, South/Central Asian 4.6%) No studies Not required
Antiemetic
Ondasetron CYP2D6*1, *2, *3, *4, *5, *6, *9, *10, *41 Identify patients who do not respond effectively to Ondasetron No studies Not required
Tropisetron CYP2D6*1, *2, *3, *4, *5, *6, *9, *10, *41 Identify patients who do not respond effectively to Tropisetron No studies Not required
Anticancer/Immunosuppressive
Capecitabine DYPYD*2A, *13, rs67376798, rs75017182 Reduce risk of drug toxicity (neutropenia, nausea, vomiting, severe diarrhea, stomatitis, mucositis, hand-foot syndrome) No studies Not required
Fluorouracil DYPYD*2A, *13, rs67376798, rs75017182 Reduce risk of drug toxicity (neutropenia, nausea, vomiting, severe diarrhea, stomatitis, mucositis, hand-foot syndrome) No studies Not required
Thioguanine TPMT*1, *2, *3A, *3B, *3C, *4 Reduce risk of acute myelosuppression and maintain drug efficacy No studies Not required
Azathioprine TPMT*1, *2, *3A, *3B, *3C, *4 Reduce risk of acute myelosuppression and maintain drug efficacy Two randomized controlled trials||
Supportive evidence for pharmacogenetics.
Not required
Mercaptopurine TPMT*1, *2, *3A, *3B, *3C, *4 Reduce risk of acute myelosuppression and maintain drug efficacy One randomized controlled trial|| Supportive evidence for pharmacogenetics. Not required
Tacrolimus CYP3A5*1, *3, *6, *7 Achieve target concentrations faster to reduce risk of graft rejection after transplantation and reduce the risk of drug toxicity (nephrotoxicity, hypertension, neurotoxicity, hyperglycemia) Two randomized controlled trials
Conflicting evidence for pharmacogenetics
Not required
Tamoxifen CYP2D6*1, *2, *3, *4, *5, *6, *9, *10, *17, *41 Optimize dose or identify patients who do not respond effectively to Tamoxifen No studies Not required
Irinontecan (CPIC guideline not yet available) UGT1A1*1, *28 Reduce risk for neutropenia, diarrhea, and asthenia No studies Not required
Anesthetic
Isoflurane (CPIC guideline not yet available) CACNA1S and RYR1 Reduce risk of malignant hyperthermia No studies Not required
Desflurane (CPIC guideline not yet available) CACNA1S and RYR1 Reduce risk of malignant hyperthermia No studies Not required
Sevoflurane (CPIC guideline not yet available) CACNA1S and RYR1 Reduce risk of malignant hyperthermia No studies Not required
Antiviral
Abacavir HLA-B*57:01 Reduce risk of hypersensitivity reactions Randomized controlled trial with prospective screening for HLA-B*57:01|| Supportive evidence for pharmacogenetics. Testing required
Atazanavir UGT1A1*28, *37, rs887829 Identify patients with a high risk of developing hyperbilirubinemia No studies Not required
Peginterferon alfa-2a IFNL3 rs12979860 and rs8099917 Predict drug response and predict eligibility for shorter durations of therapy when used in combination with protease inhibitors No studies Not required
Peginterferon alfa-2b IFNL3 rs12979860 and rs8099917 Predict drug response and eligibility for shorter durations of therapy used in combination with protease inhibitors No studies Not required
Ribavirin IFNL3 rs12979860 and rs8099917 Predict drug response and eligibility for shorter durations of therapy when used in combination with protease inhibitors No studies Not required
Antifungal
Voriconazole CYP2C19*1, *2, *3, *17 Prevent side effects (hepatotoxicity, visual disturbances, visual hallucinations) or identify patients who do not respond effectively to Voriconazole No studies Not required
Antigout
Allopurinol HLA-B*58:01 Reduce risk of hypersensitivity syndrome, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis; high frequency of benefit in Han-Chinese and Thai populations (HLA-B*58:01 Allele Frequency: Taiwan Han Chinese 11%) Prospective screening trial for HLA-B*58:01 in Taiwan§
Supportive evidence for pharmacogenetics.
Not required
Rasburicase G6PD I, II, III, IV Reduce risk of acute hemolytic anemia; high frequency of benefit in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East No studies Testing required
Cystic Fibrosis
Ivacaftor G551D-CFTR (rs75527207) Identify patients who could benefit from Ivacaftor treatment Clinical trials provide supportive evidence for pharmacogenetics.§ Testing required
Paralytic
Succinylcholine
(CPIC guideline not yet available)
CACNA1S rs1800559 and rs772226819 Reduce risk of malignant hyperthermia No studies Not required
Lipid-lowering
Simvastatin SLCO1B1*1, *5, *15, *17 Reduce risk of myopathies and rhabdomyolysis No studies Not required
*

Referenced from 2 and 3

Reference 7

Reference 8, 9, 10, 11

§

Reference 2

||

Reference 2 and 11

Reference 11 and 12