We all want our healthcare to fit us as individuals. An important piece is having good communication with our healthcare providers. But let’s talk about something even more personal — something totally unique to each one of us. The role of genetics in medication effectiveness and safety Our DNA makes us unique. We differ from one another in eye and hair color, height, gender, physical ability and more. All of
As a pharmacist, I love helping my patients understand more about how their medications work, how they improve health, and which ones might not be needed anymore. While every patient brings different questions and health concerns to our discussion, there are some common themes. One of the most common concerns I hear from my patients is an inability to communicate effectively with their healthcare providers. (While providers can be doctors,
Pharmacogenetics (PGx)– the study of how genetics affects a person’s response to drugs — is an exciting new field in healthcare. In the third article of this series on Personalized Medicine, we talked about the nuts and bolts of PGx and why it can improve the treatment of some health problems. To recap, genetic differences can change the way people respond to medication. The result? Some people get little or no effect from
Everybody is unique. We all have our own personalities, lifestyles, environments, and genetics. We may enjoy the same things as someone else, or not. Our bodies may respond to a particular medical treatment more efficiently than someone else’s, or not. It’s important that healthcare providers see each patient as an individual rather than as a disease that needs treatment. But how do we make that happen? Personalized medicine allows the