Abstract
Pharmacogenetics is the division of science addressing how genetic factors
contribute to the metabolism, response, and side effects of a given medication.
What was once regarded as a subdivision of genetics and pharmacology is now
recognized as its own field and has its own unique story of origin. While the
term “pharmacogenetics” was coined by Friedrich Vogel in 1959,
the relevance of inherited genetic traits in affecting the clinical outcome to
xenobiotics has been observed long before. In fact, there is much hope that
pharmacogenetics can help unravel the “mysteries” as to why
different people may display variable responses to the same medication as well
as identify new drug targets. This article will highlight the conceptual
framework for pharmacogenetics advanced by pioneer scientists Arno Motulsky and
Friedrich Vogel (both human geneticists), as well as Werner Kalow (clinical
pharmacologist), leading up to the creation of modern pharmacogenetics. Finally,
the practical implications and first steps toward implementation for current
psychiatric treatment are reviewed followed by an outlook on future studies.
Key words
pharmacogenetics - personalized medicine - psychopharmacology - antidepressants - antipsychotics
