Insights into pharmacogenetic testing in Türkiye: pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceived barriers to implementation

Pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing is a key component of precision medicine, supporting individualized drug therapy, improving treatment outcomes, and reducing adverse drug reactions. Pharmacists are central to PGx-guided decision-making; however, their readiness for implementation remains unclear in Türkiye. Identifying current knowledge levels, attitudes, and barriers is essential to inform national strategies for PGx integration into clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate pharmacists' knowledge, awareness, attitudes, experience, and perceived barriers regarding PGx testing in Türkiye, and to identify predictors of PGx knowledge. A nationwide, web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted between November and December 2025 among pharmacists practicing in diverse settings across Türkiye. A structured questionnaire evaluated pharmacists' PGx-related knowledge and awareness, attitudes, clinical experience, perceived implementation barriers, and training needs. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and multivariable ordinal logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors of self-rated PGx knowledge. A total of 455 pharmacists participated, mainly community pharmacists (44.2%) and hospital pharmacists (37.8%), with clinical pharmacists representing 9.5%. Although 72.5% were familiar with PGx, only 8.8% had received PGx-related education, and 37.8% self-rated their knowledge as poor. Familiarity with PGx resources and gene-drug knowledge scores were similarly low. Attitudes toward PGx were highly positive, particularly regarding dose optimization and reducing adverse drug reactions. However, real-world experience remained scarce, with only 5.9% having recommended PGx testing and just 4% having made PGx-guided therapeutic recommendations. Insufficient knowledge and awareness emerged as the primary barrier to PGx implementation in practice (47.9%), followed by testing cost (26.2%) and limited trained personnel availability (14.3%). Regression analysis indicated that prior PGx education, postgraduate qualifications, and being a clinical pharmacist significantly predicted higher self-rated PGx knowledge, while age, gender, and years of experience showed no association. Notably, 92.5% expressed willingness to pursue PGx training. Pharmacists in Türkiye hold positive views toward PGx but demonstrate limited knowledge and real-life involvement. Expanding education, integrating PGx into pharmacy curricula, and developing national guidelines and implementation strategies may improve PGx adoption and support personalized pharmacotherapy.