designing drug treatments based on a person’s genetic makeup

[Guest guest]

Investigation into the potential for designing drug treatments based on

a person’s genetic makeup

News-Medical in Medical Science News Monday, 20-Sep-2004

An investigation into the potential for designing drug treatments based

on a person’s genetic makeup has been launched today by the Royal

Society, the UK’s national academy of science.

Most current drugs are not effective for 100 per cent of the population

and some work in as few as 30 to 50 per cent of cases. Pharmacogenetics,

the study of how genetic factors influence a person’s response to a

drug, is seen as a way of making treatments as safe and effective as

possible for every individual. However, reservations have been expressed

about the ability of this technology to fulfil such claims, what it

might cost, how soon it could be achieved and if it would impact

negatively on the modern healthcare system.

Sir Weatherall, chair of the working group that will conduct the

study, said: “Recent developments in understanding the biology and

mechanisms of disease together with increased knowledge of genes have

the potential to lead to major advances in healthcare over the next few

decades. This study will look at whether pharmacogenetics, the designing

of drug treatments based on a person’s genetic makeup, is a

scientifically achievable aim, be it five, ten or 25 years from now.

Equally importantly it will look at whether healthcare systems in the UK

and elsewhere have the resources to implement such technologies and what

the pharmaceutical industry’s assessment is of the significant

investment needed to try and develop them in the first place.”

The Royal Society report will be published in summer 2005. Individuals

and organisations that are interested in contributing evidence should

contact the Society or visit the Call for Evidence.

http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk