Pharmacogenomics is the study of how an individual's genetic makeup affects their response to drugs. It combines the fields of pharmacology (the study of drugs) and genomics (the study of genes and their functions) to develop personalized drug therapies for patients.
By analysing an individual's genetic information, healthcare providers can predict how they will respond to certain medications and adjust their treatment accordingly.
Pharmacogenomics can also help identify potential side effects of certain drugs in different patient populations.
For example, some patients may be more susceptible to certain side effects due to their genetic makeup, and pharmacogenomics can help identify these patients and adjust their treatment accordingly.
Overall, pharmacogenomics has the potential to improve patient outcomes by enabling personalized drug therapies and reducing the risk of adverse drug reactions.
As genetic testing becomes more widely available and affordable, it is likely that we will see even more applications of pharmacogenomics in clinical practice.