Keynote Address: Beyond the Numbers: Mastering Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Smart Alternatives
| Monday, September 22, 2025 |
| 9:45 AM - 10:30 AM |
| Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel - Grand Ballroom I |
Overview
A/Prof Lay Hoon Andrea Kwa
Details
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) is a critical tool in optimizing drug efficacy and minimizing toxicity by measuring drug concentrations in biological fluids and adjusting doses accordingly. However, in many clinical settings, drug level assays may be unavailable, expensive, or delayed. This presentation explores the key principles of TDM, including indications, pharmacokinetic considerations, and patient-specific factors. Additionally, it discusses alternative strategies for TDM when drug levels cannot be measured, such as using surrogate markers, pharmacodynamic monitoring, clinical endpoints, and adherence to dose-response relationships. By integrating these approaches, clinicians can still achieve personalized therapy even in resource-limited settings.
Speaker
A/Prof Lay Hoon Andrea Kwa
Deputy Director
Singapore General Hospital
Beyond the Numbers: Mastering Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Smart Alternatives
Biography
Dr Andrea Kwa, a distinguished pharmacist clinician -scientist, has had a remarkable journey fueled by her curiosity. She excels in translational science, where she conducts evidence-based research and translate discoveries into practical applications, ensuring top-tier patient care. She specialised in critical care medicine, infectious diseases, and antimicrobial resistance research, specifically in in-vitro wet bench translational (phage therapy, antibiotics combination testing), population PKPD studies, molecular diagnostics in anti-fungal and antibacterial resistance, epidemiology/outcomes studies and health services research (specifically AI/ML for AMR management) to guide antimicrobial stewardship. To date, she has authored more than 120 publications.
