Pharmacogenetics Newsletter

Volume 1, Issue 1, 01/23/2009

Question

What is pharmacogenetics and why should healthcare providers seek to understand it?

Answer

The completion of the Human Genome Project has clearly given medical science the ability to easily determine someone's genetic makeup as well as identify how an individual's genes are different relative to the general population.  We all recognize the fact that each person is unique and that one's individuality is primarily influenced by variations in our genetic makeup.  This genetic diversity is now known to not only influence a person's susceptibility to disease, but it also contributes to differences in an individual's response to drug therapy.(1,2)  In fact, even the smallest forms of genetic variations (called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or pronounced by some as "SNiPs") can have a significant impact on how the human body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes and/or eliminates a medication.  A significant variation from the norm in any of these pharmacokinetic parameters can translate into variation in the safety and efficacy of that treatment.  This new and rapidly emerging area of individualized medicine is called pharmacogenetics.  Simply stated,pharmacogenetics is the study of genetic factors that influence how a drug works to affect human biology......To read the full answer please LOGIN or SUBSCRIBE NOW.