Two people can take the same dose of the same medicine and have very different results. One may improve, while the other gets little benefit or develops serious side effects. Part of the explanation often lies in their genes.
Pharmacogenomics uses genetic information to predict how someone may respond to certain medicines. Some genes make proteins that help the body process medicines. Others influence how medicines act. Variants in these genes can change how well a treatment works or the risk of side effects.
