During clinical trials to approve a drug, the ideal dosage is defined based on the average response of patients in the study population.
In general terms:
- During development, the drug is tested on several people
- If the drug works for a reasonable number of individuals, it tends to be accepted and sold to the public
- The dosage that worked best during the tests is reported on the package leaflet and suggested as the standard dose. However, a significant proportion do not respond adequately.
- Test cases with adverse reactions and other observed occurrences are included in the package leaflet, which is why many side effects and contraindications are often listed
The same drugs and doses are prescribed for everyone, even though each of us processes them differently
- Medicines that are good for some can be toxic for others
- In addition, some people metabolize the drug more quickly and others more slowly
- Consequently, the dose, frequency and medication should ideally be prescribed with this in mind
- Doctors basically rely on the patient’s experience and history to prescribe a drug
- Doctors will probably only know that there is a problem with the drug after testing it. They have little information to make an individualized prior adjustment
Pharmacogenetics (or pharmacogenomics) is the study of how DNA influences the response to each drug
- The main factors that influence the response to a drug are: genetics, age, diseases, immunological factors and drug interactions
- Your genes tell you, for example, whether you produce more or less of an enzyme needed to process a drug
- Or if you have a mutation that makes the drug totally or partially ineffective.
Learn about some of the advantages of ConectGene’s pharmacogenetic tests:
The right medicament from the start
Doctors basically rely on the patient’s experience and history to prescribe the medication. Avoid trial and error and give them another tool to decide what works for you.
Avoid toxic drugs
Genetic variations can indicate whether a drug is toxic or likely to cause side effects.
Adjust the dose to your body
Find out whether your body metabolizes the drug quickly or slowly and allow your doctor to adjust the dosage for your specific case.
An exam for life
Our tests evaluate various medicines. Resubmit your test every time you see a new doctor or have a new treatment.
