Professor A.S. Ryazanov Publishes Two New Studies: Glaucoma Pharmacogenetics and the Role of General Practitioners in Health Screening

On 14 July 2026, two new research articles co-authored by Professor Alexey S. Ryazanov were published in leading Russian medical journals.

The first article, “Pharmacogenetic Foundations of Personalised Therapy for Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma”, appeared in Effective Pharmacotherapy. Ophthalmology No. 2 (Vol. 22, 2026). Glaucoma remains the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and presents a significant medical and social challenge due to its chronic progressive course, high prevalence, and the need for lifelong treatment. Individual response to drug therapy is shaped by both genetic and non-genetic factors. Non-genetic determinants include demographic and clinical characteristics such as age, sex, ethnicity, comorbidities, drug interactions, and environmental factors. The study of genetic determinants of pharmacological response forms the basis of pharmacogenetics – an interdisciplinary field at the intersection of medical genetics and clinical pharmacology that analyses how hereditary factors influence the efficacy and safety of drug therapy. Despite accumulated data, pharmacogenetics of glaucoma therapy remains largely a research area and has not yet entered routine clinical practice. Unlike other medical fields where certain pharmacogenetic markers are already included in clinical guidelines, the level of evidence in ophthalmology is still insufficient to make their use mandatory.

The second article, “The Role of the General Practitioner in Improving the Effectiveness of Health Screening: Organisational and Financial Aspects”, was published in Health Manager (No. 7, 2026). The rising prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases and demographic ageing are increasing the importance of prevention in healthcare systems. In the Russian Federation, a key instrument of preventive policy is the health screening (dispanserisation) of the adult population, the effectiveness of which is largely determined by the organisation of primary health care and the role of the general practitioner. The current screening model is characterised by a high degree of regulatory standardisation and a significant coordinating role for the general practitioner. At the same time, its effectiveness is limited by workforce shortages, heavy physician workloads, insufficient digitalisation, and a financing system oriented primarily towards quantitative indicators. An analysis of international experience demonstrates the effectiveness of multidisciplinary teams, digital decision-support tools, and results-based financing models. Improving screening effectiveness requires a shift from a model of formal coverage of the population with preventive examinations to a system of health outcomes management, grounded in the organisational transformation of primary health care, digitalisation, and the introduction of economic incentives.