How can
pharmacogenetics
save lives?
The reason why drug effectiveness varies from individual to individual, is down to a scientific field called pharmacogenetics and a number of well-researched genetic defects can prevent a given medicine from being properly digested by a person’s body. Instead of having the intended impact in treating a given illness, the drug may in fact trigger severe adverse reactions or simply not work at all.
Indeed, adverse drug reactions are the fifth most common cause of death in Western countries even though this risk could be entirely mitigated. A simple saliva swab and an analysis of the relevant genes may therefore play a vital role in developing the optimal treatment plan and mitigating risks.