ABSTRACT There has been considerable scientific, corporate and policy interest in the more effective use of genetics in both drug development and delivery. Pharmacogenetics — the study of

the relationship between an individual's genetic makeup and response to medicinal drugs — has attracted global interest, but will it live up to its promise? Looking beyond the hype that

has accompanied much of the commentary in the area, the future of pharmacogenetics will depend on how competing interests and options are resolved. Access through your institution Buy or

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references ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research on which this paper is based was supported by a Wellcome Trust grant titled 'The clinical and commercial development of Pharmacogenetics'.

AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Science and Technology Studies Unit, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom Andrew Webster & Graham Lewis * Institute for Study

of Genetics, Biorisks and Society, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom Paul Martin * Oxford Genetics Knowledge Park, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LF, United

Kingdom Andrew Smart Authors * Andrew Webster View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Paul Martin View author publications You can also search

for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Graham Lewis View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Andrew Smart View author publications You can

also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS The authors declare no competing financial interests. RELATED LINKS RELATED LINKS FURTHER

INFORMATION ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LIFE SCIENCES pharmacogenetics Institute for the Study of Genetics, Biorisks and Society Lewis' homepage Oxford Genetics Knowledge Park Pharmacogenetics

research at SATSU University of York Science and Technology Studies Unit Webster's homepage GLOSSARY * ABACAVIR An antiviral drug, used, in conjunction with other medicines, for the

treatment of HIV. * AGRANULOCYTOSIS A condition in which there is an insufficient number of white blood cells called neutrophils or granulocytes. This can be caused by a failure of the bone

marrow to make sufficient neutrophils or when white blood cells are destroyed faster than they can be produced. Affected people are susceptible to infections. * BIOBANKS Public or private

tissue collections (derived from blood, DNA or other sources) comprising samples taken from specific disease groups or healthy populations. Their long-term purpose is to build biological

banks that will provide new sources of (genetic) information about disease that have clinical value. * CLOZAPINE An antipsychotic drug that works by decreasing abnormal excitement in the

brain, used primarily to treat patients with schizophrenia who either fail to respond to or are unable to take other antipsychotic treatments. * DISPOSITION Refers to all processes involved

in the absorption, distribution metabolism and excretion of drugs in a living organism. * INVESTIGATIONAL NEW DRUG APPLICATION (IND). An application that a drug sponsor must submit to FDA

before beginning tests of a new drug on humans. The IND contains the plan for the study and is supposed to give a complete picture of the drug, including its structural formula, animal test

results, and manufacturing information. * ISONIAZID An antibacterial drug used to treat tuberculosis. * NEW DRUG APPLICATION An application requesting FDA approval to market a new drug for

human use in interstate commerce. The application must contain, among other things, data from specific technical viewpoints for FDA review — including chemistry, pharmacology, medical,

biopharmaceutics, statistics and, for anti-infectives, microbiology. * PHARMACODYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS The characteristics of a drug that determine its biochemical and physiological effects

and its mechanisms of action. * PHARMACOVIGILANCE The process of monitoring medicines to identify previously unrecognised adverse effects; assessing the risks and benefits of medicines in

order to determine what action, information and subsequent monitoring, if any, is necessary to improve their safe use. * THERAPEUTIC INDEX The therapeutic index of a drug is the ratio of the

toxic dose to the therapeutic (that is, effective) dose, often used as a measure of the relative safety of the drug for a particular treatment. PGx is more likely to be clinically useful

where the therapeutic index is narrow (i.e. when there is a smaller amount of difference between toxic and efficacious doses). * 'RESTRICTED MARKETING' TERMS A drug may have such

serious adverse effects that regulatory approval is given for use in a specific patient group only, for whom it can be used safely. * THIOPURINES A family of chemotherapeutics used to treat

leukaemia, as well as arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. * WARFARIN Used to prevent blood clots from forming or growing larger (anticoagulant). Typically used for patients with atrial

fibrillation and those with a venous thromboembolism. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Webster, A., Martin, P., Lewis, G. _et al._

Integrating pharmacogenetics into society: in search of a model. _Nat Rev Genet_ 5, 663–669 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg1430 Download citation * Issue Date: 01 September 2004 * DOI:

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