Is your medication really working? How pharmacogenomics is changing medicine

Have you ever wondered why a standard dose of ibuprofen or paracetamol works wonders for some but seems ineffective for others? The reality is that our bodies do not process medications in the same way, a factor that significantly impacts both the effectiveness of a treatment and the risk of experiencing adverse side effects.

The science of pharmacogenomics

Pharmacogenomics is the scientific discipline that studies how your genetic makeup influences your response to drugs. Its primary goal is to establish specific patterns of response regarding the efficacy and toxicity of medications based on an individual’s genetic profile.

While factors such as weight, age, gender, and ethnicity play a role in how we respond to medicine, genetics is the most influential factor of all. It is estimated that genes are responsible for between 20% and 95% of the variability in how a drug affects the body.

How your body processes medication

When you ingest a drug, your body treats it as a foreign substance and attempts to metabolize it for eventual elimination. This process is managed by enzymes, which are regulated by your genes.

Genetic variations can lead to two primary scenarios:

• Slow metabolism: If a metabolic pathway is sluggish, the drug remains in the system longer than intended. This increases the risk of toxicity and dangerous adverse reactions. This is particularly common in older patients whose metabolic capacity naturally slows down.
• Rapid metabolism: Conversely, if the body eliminates the drug too quickly, the medication does not have sufficient time to act, rendering the treatment ineffective.

In both cases, medical supervision is required to adjust the dosage—reducing it for slow metabolizers and increasing it for rapid ones—to ensure patient safety and therapeutic success.

The hidden dangers of self-medication

In many regions, common medications like ibuprofen or paracetamol are frequently self-administered. However, self-medication increases health risks because standard doses may not be “standard” for your unique biology.

Taking medication unnecessarily or in the wrong dose can lead to preventable Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs). Statistics show that roughly 3.5% of hospital admissions are caused by medication-related incidents, half of which are entirely preventable.

Personalized medicine: The future of health

We are moving away from “one-size-fits-all” medicine toward a personalized approach. By understanding your genetic predisposition, you can maximize drug efficacy, avoid the “trial and error” method of prescribing, and significantly reduce the risk of toxic side effects.

At Veritas Genetics, we are committed to providing you with the most advanced tools for personalized health. Beyond our general screenings, we offer myPharma, a specialized pharmacogenomic study designed to give you and your doctor a definitive roadmap for your treatments.

myPharma includes a comprehensive report of 25 genes related to the metabolism, efficacy, or toxicity of 129 active ingredients. This non-invasive test is performed on a simple blood or saliva sample using a kit provided by Veritas, providing you with actionable insights that last a lifetime.