Pharmacogenomics

We all differ in our response to drug treatment-occasionally with dramatic effects. The era of "one drug fits all patients" is about to give way to in dividualised therapy matching the patient's unique genetic make up with an optimally effective drug.(1) Pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics are the emerging disciplines that ale leading the way towards individualised medici ne.(2 3) Initially, researchers focused their attention on pharmacogenetics -variations In single candidate genes responsible for variable drug respons e. Subsequently, studies involving the entire human genome broadened the sl ope of investigation, giving rise to pharmacogenomics as one of the "hottes t" fields in biotechnology today.