Simply, pharmacogenomics associates the information in a person’s genome to how they react to various drug therapies. The idea, while not new, is finally within reach given the plummeting costs of genetic analyses. The idea being that pharmacogenomics will contribute to personalized medicine by utilizing a single test to determine the best treatment for an individual, prior to wasting time and money on non-viable options.

Until recently, only the most urgent circumstances, such as cancer, were considered worthwhile for genetic determination of treatment. Cancer, on the forefront of pharmacogenomics, is moving beyond genetic testing as a good idea and making it a necessity. With more than 30 anti-cancer drugs approved for specific gene mutations, genetic testing is becoming a first line diagnostic tool for treatment options. The information gathered from these tests steer what drugs to use and even what dosage to start with, which means getting patients what they need faster and with fewer side effects.

However, pharmacogenomics is not just for those with life threatening diseases; available research relates genetic information to everything from aspirin to Zocor, we just need cost effective testing. Partnerships between companies like Coriell Life Sciences (http://www.coriell.com/) and GeneWiz (http://www.genewiz.com/) endeavor to do just that, with products like PGxOne launched earlier this month (http://www.genewiz.com/public/PGxOne-pharmacogenomics-test.aspx). PGxOne offers a single test for all well-established genes associated with drug treatments. PGxOne provides treatment information for a diverse set of disorders, such as atrial fibrillation, autoimmune diseases, depression, malaria, and schizophrenia, making pharmacogenomics testing informative for a diverse set of individuals.

From a patient standpoint, this type of testing could reduce time and suffering from improper treatment. Financially, billions could be saved on paying for ineffective therapies and adverse reactions. Therefore, it is a win-win situation; all we need is implementation.