Principles of Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacogenetics

Abstract

Pharmacogenomics (Pharmacogenetics) (PGx) is one of the most important components of personalized medicine which focuses on the association between genetic variations and drug response. Pharmacogenomics can help physicians decide drug selection, dose adjustment, and treatment period and prevent adverse drug reactions. Specific genetic variations have been related to clinically significant changes in drug disposition between individuals, including vulnerability to adverse drug responses and therapeutic response or efficacy. There is a substantial amount of scientific evidence supporting the utility of pharmacogenomics testing in patient management. Oncology pharmacogenomics is more complex than pharmacogenomics in other disease states because clinical concerns can be considered for tumor’s somatic genome and the patient’s germline genome. Pharmacogenomics is vital in identifying the genes related to the response in psycho-pharmacotherapeutic agents to improve treatment outcomes. Many diabetic patients fail to achieve optimal glycemic control. The degree to which oral antidiabetic drugs are efficient or cause adverse drug reactions (ADR) significantly varies within the T2DM population. The treatment outcome of these agents depends on genetic variation in a plethora of genes. The present chapter focuses on the major discoveries on pharmacogenomics journey and gives insights into the future of pharmacogenomics in medical disciplines.