Racial/ethnic differences in drug disposition and response: review of recently approved drugs

Abstract

Race and ethnicity can contribute to interindividual differences in drug exposure and/or response, which may alter risk-benefit in certain populations. Approximately one-fifth of new drugs approved in the past 6 years demonstrated differences in exposure and/or response across racial/ethnic groups, translating to population-specific prescribing recommendations in a few cases. When data from diverse populations were lacking, additional postmarketing studies were recommended. In this review we highlight several cases where race/ethnicity was central to regulatory decision-making.