The future of pharmacogenomics

Although pharmacogenomics has great promise and has made important strides in recent years, it's still in its early stages. Clinical trials are needed not only to identify links between genes and treatment outcomes but also to confirm initial findings, clarify the meaning of these associations and translate them into prescribing guidelines.

Nonetheless, progress in this field points toward a time when pharmacogenomics will be part of routine medical care — at least for some drugs.