Clinical application of pharmacogenetics

Pharmacogenetics encompasses the involvement of genes in an individual's response to drugs. As such, the field covers a vast area including basic drug discovery research, the genetic basis of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, new drug development, patient genetic testing and clinical patient management. Ultimately, the goal of pharmacogenetics is to predict a patient's genetic response to a specific drug as a means of delivering the best possible medical treatment. By predicting the drug response of an individual, it will be possible to increase the success of therapies and reduce the incidence of adverse side effects.