چکیده (انگلیسی):

Pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics
deal with the genetic basis underlying
variable drug response in individual patients. The
traditional pharmacogenetic approach relies on
studying sequence variations in candidate genes
suspected of affecting drug response. On the other
hand, pharmacogenomic studies encompass the sum
of all genes, i.e., the genome. Numerous genes may
play a role in drug response and toxicity,
introducing a daunting level of complexity into the
search for candidate genes. The high speed and
specificity associated with newly emerging genomic
technologies enable the search for relevant genes
and their variants to include the entire genome.
These new technologies have essentially spawned a
new discipline, termed pharmacogenomics, which
seeks to identify the variant genes affecting the
response to drugs in individual patients. Moreover,
pharmacogenomic analysis can identify disease
susceptibility genes representing potential new drug
targets. All of this will lead to novel approaches in
drug discovery, an individualized application of
drug therapy, and new insights into disease
prevention. Current concepts in drug therapy often
attempt treatment of large patient populations as
groups, irrespective of the potential for individual,
genetically-based differences in drug response. In
contrast, pharmacogenomics may help focus
effective therapy on smaller patient subpopulations
which although demonstrating the same disease
phenotype are characterized by distinct genetic
profiles. Whether and to what extent this individual,
genetics-based approach to medicine results in
improved, economically feasible therapy remain to
be seen.To exploit these opportunities in genetic medicine,
novel technologies will be needed, legal and ethical
questions must be clarified, health care
professionals must be educated, and the public must
be informed about the implications of genetic
testing in drug therapy and disease management.