The Basics of Pharmacogenetics and Personalized Medicine

In personalized medicine, doctors can choose better drugs and doses by understanding how a person’s genes affect how their body handles medicine. This helps avoid harmful side effects and makes treatments work better.

Nutritional needs can also be personalized. Some people have genes, like the MTHFR gene, that make it hard for their body to process certain vitamins, like folate. These people may need a special form of folate, called methylfolate, to help their body work properly. This can lower the risk of heart problems, improve mood and brain function, and even lower the chance of some cancers. Personalized nutrition plans help prevent and manage diseases while improving overall health.

Surveillance focuses on keeping an eye on conditions a person may be more likely to develop because of their genes. Knowing these risks allows doctors to watch for early signs of illness and take action sooner to prevent or treat problems.

By analyzing a person’s unique genetic data, doctors can provide care that is tailored to their needs. This approach moves away from a "one-size-fits-all" model and offers treatments and advice designed for each person’s genetic makeup, lifestyle, and health. This improves the quality of care and helps people stay healthier.