Pharmacogenetics: Genetic Basis for Rational Drug Therapy

Pharmacogenetics has revolutionized the way in which drug metabolism was looked upon in the pre-genomic era. Today with the advent of genomics it is possible to genotype an individual. The genetic differences, which determine the disposition of a given drug in an individual, ultimately give differences in drug response. Genotyping and phenotyping tests to predict dose requirement are now increasingly introduced during preclinical and clinical studies of new drugs. However, the hypothesis for the genotype and the phenotype correlation has to be established. Once this correlation will be established and technology to genotype advances enough to give predictive values over 90%, pharmacogenetics will enter the clinics. Pharmacogenetics will help to tailor the drug type and its dosage according to the individual’s genotype. It will help to minimize adverse drug reactions as well as cases of nonresponders to the drug therapy. In addition, this will provide better understanding of pharmacogenetic variations both within as well as among major populations/groups of the world.