Pharmacogenomics Steps Toward Personalized Medicine

The goal of personalized medicine is to maximize the likelihood of therapeutic efficacy and to minimize the risk of drug toxicity for an individual patient. One of the major contributors to this concept is pharmacogenomics. Marked interindividual genetic variation contributes significantly to both susceptibility to diseases, and response to drugs. Even though pharmacogenomics is not a new science, the translation of pharmacogenomics into clinical practice (i.e., personalized medicine) has not taken place at the same pace as science is delivering new results. It is felt that a large number of recent pharmacogenomic findings allow bold steps to be taken toward personalized medicine. This review collates a variety of examples that have great potential for immediate and effective introduction into clinical practice. In addition, other exploratory examples with a particular focus on drug safety and targeted cancer therapy are summarized.