Pharmacogenetics in the Clinic

Pharmacogenetics is the inherited basis of differences among individuals in their response to drugs. Genetic polymorphisms of drug-metabolizing enzymes may account for as much as 30% of interindividual differences in drug disposition and response. An increasing number of drug target polymorphisms have also been linked to differences in drug response. This chapter reviews some examples of the use of pharmacogenetics in clinical practice. Despite the increasing number of examples of genetic polymorphisms affecting drug response in the literature, pharmacogenetic data are rarely used in current clinical practice. The limitations that have prevented the use of pharmacogenetic testing in clinical practice are reviewed.