The Future of Pharmacogenomics

• Pharmacogenomics is seen as a means to personalize medicine to suit individual needs in the future, to prevent drug allergies and other drug related reactions from occurring.

• Pharmacogenomics will be applied to all stages of drug development and treatment it  would provide the ability to elucidate a specific gene or genes response to a particular drug with in a few hours and to improve on existing drugs,  by means of over expression,  down regulation or no response to the drug at all.  These measures will aid in a better understanding of the drugs mode of action and which genes or gene products are in response to a specific drug and the side effects posed by that drug .

• Furthermore, algorithms will be developed based on the population’s genetic profile to aid in the prediction of responders, non- responders, and those prone to the side effects of drugs.  The information gathered through pharmacogenomics can be used to gain insight into drug behavior and sensitivity.  This in formation will help to improve the efficiency of  drug development and  drug utilization and to attain the goal of optimal drug treatment.

• The information gathered from pharmacogenomics can be used to develop test prior to drug use to determine whether or no a patient would benefit or be at risk for a particular side effect of the drug.  Such test would be very beneficial to the patient in that  a patient can be prescribed optimal drug therapy without have to endure a series of experimental test to tailor a drug that is suitable to them.  A reduction in medical cost and an increase in  patient satisfaction and therapy compliance will be attained due to early selection of optimal drugs.

• Finally, in the near future due to the development and use of pharmacogenomics the field of medicine will be revolutionized in a way that prevention will take precedence over treatment. 

Figure 2: Showing the  clinical expectations of pharmacogenomics 

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