Precision medicine opens new possibilities for treatments tailored to an individual’s genetic profile, lifestyle habits, and environmental factors. By merging molecular, pathological, and clinical diagnostic data, pharmacists can deliver more targeted pharmaceutical care. This work assessed community pharmacists’ perceived value of precision medicine, their existing knowledge, and the training they believe is required. Across a 10-month period, a previously validated questionnaire—also made available online during the COVID-19 pandemic—was circulated in person, by email, and through social platforms. A total of 300 community pharmacists from 9 districts within a Malaysian urban state completed and returned the survey (75% response rate). Responses using three- or five-point Likert scales and multiple-choice items were analysed in SPSS to determine whether prior curricular exposure influenced knowledge, perceptions, and motivation to adopt precision medicine.
Most participants were female (N = 196, 65.3%) and had ≤10 years of practice experience (N = 190, 66.3%). Knowledge levels were moderate (76%), yet respondents showed strong positive attitudes (94%), and 80% expressed readiness to incorporate precision medicine into daily practice. Although 61% reported no recollection of pharmacogenomics during their pharmacy education, the majority (93%) were open to further training. Preferred training areas included available pharmacogenetic tests (17%), interpretation of results (15%), and ethical issues (13%). Those with 0.5–10 years of experience demonstrated significantly higher knowledge (μ = 1.48, CI 1.35–1.61, p = 0.017) than colleagues with 21–40 years in practice (μ = 1.28, CI 1.05–1.51, p = 0.021). Educational exposure was associated with increased willingness to integrate precision medicine (p = 0.035). Community pharmacists showed strong interest in and appreciation for precision medicine. A substantial proportion reported previous encounters with precision-medicine concepts during their studies and were therefore inclined to apply them in routine healthcare delivery. With sufficient training in ethics, available pharmacogenetic tools, and result interpretation, pharmacists will be prepared to offer precision-medicine-related services in the near future.
