Pharmacogenomics is the study of how an individual's genetic makeup affects their body's response to medications.
-
Personalized Treatment: It aims to replace the "one-size-fits-all" approach to prescribing drugs by tailoring medications and dosages to a person's specific genetic profile.
-
Predicting Side Effects: By understanding how your genes process different chemicals, doctors can predict if you are likely to experience severe or adverse reactions to certain drugs.
-
Optimizing Efficacy: It helps determine whether a specific drug will actually work for you, or if your body will metabolize it too quickly or too slowly to be effective.
-
Common Uses: Testing is frequently used to guide the prescription of antidepressants, blood thinners, and various targeted cancer therapies.