Pharmacogenomics and the future of drug therapy

With the completion of the human genome project, many investigators are striving to translate the resulting wealth of new information into new and improved clinical practices. Pharmacogenomics represents one of the most promising of these applications for adult- and pediatric-based therapies. This article provides a historical perspective, but most importantly, uses this background to illustrate important principles of the field. The application of pharmacogenomics to asthma therapy is presented as an example of the current status of pharmacogenomics as it is being applied to an important pediatric health problem. Finally, a discussion of future promises and challenges to the application of pharmacogenomics is presented, including economic and ethical issues.