Chapter 13, Problem 29A

Summary Introduction

To list:

Three ways patients would benefit from pharmacogenomics

Introduction:

Sequencing the human genome plays a very important role in many areas of science because it combines the knowledge of genes, proteins and SNPs with other areas of science. The study of how genetic inheritance affects the body’s response to drugs is called pharmacogenomics.

Answer to Problem 29A

The benefits of pharmacogenomics are:

Accurate dosage of drugs

Customized drug usage

Discovery of new drugs

Explanation of Solution

The benefits of pharmacogenomics are:

Accurate dosage of drugs- Pharmacogenomics will ensure that more accurate doses of drugs are administered to patients based on their genetic makeup. This will make the drugs more safe and specific to patient’s needs.

Customized drug usage- Pharmacogenomics will allow for drugs to be tailor-made for a specific individual based on his or her genetic code. This will increase safety, speed up the recovery and reduce the side- effects of drugs.

Discovery of new drugs- Pharmacogenomics help in the discovery of new drugs. It is a new tool in finding new medicines with less side effects and better efficacy.