Recent advances in pharmacogenomics (PGx) propose the clinical application of genome information as individualized medicine. However, the matter of how the citizens in Japan find the PGx-based medicine, including clinical research remains to be addressed. Questionnaires concerning genome science and PGx were sent to citizens in Japan through the internet system. In the questionnaires, we provided information on PGx in order to evaluate the educational effects on the understanding and/or approval of PGx-based medicine. The majority of citizens in Japan have an interest in genome science and accept its application to medical practice. However, individualized medicine based on genome information is not fully understood. About one-third of the subjects expressed hesitation to participate in PGx-based clinical research prior to reading the information provided in the questionnaire, because of possible illegal uses of their genome samples and personal information. Interestingly, during the questionnaire they had a tendency to change their mind to affirmative because of the information provided concerning how PGx-based medicines or clinical research projects are designed and performed in order to prevent misunderstanging of participants. The citizens in Japan have an interest in genome science ; however, PGx-based medicine has not been fully understood. More information concerning PGx-based medicine, including clinical research, should be provided for citizens in general in order to achieve individualized medicine based on genome science.
