Pharmacogenomics: The Key to Unlocking the Future of Personalized Healthcare

Pharmacogenomics—the study of genetic influences on an individual’s response to therapeutic medications—is an area of personalized medicine that is gaining momentum. Although pharmacogenomics has been around for a while, providers, health plans, pharmacists and legislators are developing a greater appreciation for its potential benefits and applications. 

How Can Pharmacogenomics Improve Outcomes?

By considering a person’s DNA in treatment options, providers can determine how an individual’s genetic profile may impact the way the individual could respond to specific therapies. For example, certain gene changes may indicate a person is a high metabolizer and thus may require a higher starting dose of medication to have a therapeutic effect. Alternatively, other gene changes may indicate a low metabolizer status, which may indicate the need for a lower starting dosage to achieve the same therapeutic benefit while minimizing side effects. 

There are many advantages to using genomics to inform therapeutic decisions.