New research led by Kathryn Phillips, PhD, professor of health economics and health services research in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy at the UCSF School of Pharmacy, is drawing attention to a critical but often overlooked gap in modern health care: without the right diagnostic tests, even the most advanced therapies can’t reach their full potential.

Published April 9 in Science, the analysis highlights how limited investment, fragmented regulation, and inadequate reimbursement for diagnostics are slowing progress in precision medicine. Diagnostics are essential for matching patients to the treatments most likely to benefit them, said Phillips, who directs the UCSF Center for Translational and Policy Research on Precision Medicine (TRANSPERS) and is a member of UCSF’s Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy.  

Yet nearly half the global population lacks adequate access to these tools. From GLP-1 therapies for diabetes and obesity to emerging treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, the absence of accessible, affordable testing leaves clinicians making decisions without the full picture. The result: missed opportunities for effective care, even as drug development continues to accelerate. 

Read the full story about how the study’s authors, which also include Danea Horn, PhD, associate researcher in the School of Pharmacy, are calling for policy reforms that better align the development, evaluation, and payment of diagnostics with the therapies they support. Such a shift could unlock more equitable and effective care worldwide.  

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Synthesizing Science, Policy, and Precision Medicine: A Conversation with Kathryn A. Phillips, PhD