pharmacogenomics

noun

phar·​ma·​co·​ge·​no·​mics ˌfär-mə-kō-jē-ˈnō-miks 

plural in form but singular in construction

: the science concerned with understanding how genetic differences among individuals cause varied responses to the same drug and with developing drug therapies to compensate for these differences

The Human Genome Project heralds new opportunities for using genetic information to individualize drug therapy, called pharmacogenomics.

—Kathryn A. Phillips et al.

pharmacogenomic

ˌfär-mə-kō-jē-ˈnō-mik 

adjective

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has altered drug labels and issued warnings about pharmacogenomic variation affecting drug response …

—Liewei Wang et al.

Examples of pharmacogenomics in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ancestry and pharmacogenomics of relapse in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. —Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 8 Feb. 2011

Over time, Castle is betting AltheaDx can become a franchise for pharmacogenomics testing in mental health — offering medication guidance to clinicians beyond depression and anxiety. —Mike Freeman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2022

The approach based on data analysis and prediction already finds use in oncology, pharmacogenomics and reproductive health. —Robert Krajewski, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2021

Help clients understand what is happening in the market, where science is leading us and enable next-level personalization through approaches like pharmacogenomics, the study of how genes affect a person's response to drugs. —Richard Adams, Forbes, 6 May 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1997, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

pharmacogenomics

noun, plural in form but singular in construction

phar·​ma·​co·​ge·​no·​mics -jē-ˈnō-miks 

: the science concerned with understanding how genetic differences among individuals cause varied responses to the same drug and with developing drug therapies to compensate for these differences

Drug companies … are collecting the genetic know-how to make medicines tailored to specific genes—an effort called pharmacogenomics. In the years to come, your pharmacist may hand you one version of a blood pressure drug, based on your unique genetic profile, while the guy in line behind you gets a different version of the same medicine.

—Kathryn Brown, Scientific American

pharmacogenomic

-mik 

adjective

Pharmacogenomic testing of individuals may prevent adverse drug reactions and save both lives and money.

—Sandra Soo-Jin Lee et al., Science