Genetic polymorphisms in drug metabolism--its relevance to Asian populations

Genetic polymorphisms in drug metabolism represent a significant although largely underrecognised problem in therapeutics. The presence of mutant alleles within a population may result in substantial interindividual and interethnic variability in the efficacy/toxicity ratios for many drugs. The practical difficulties involved in phenotyping both individuals and populations alike have hindered the generation of much useful information, especially those in relation to non-Caucasian populations. Newer techniques have provided clearer insights into the molecular genetics of these polymorphisms. It is hoped that these techniques will eventually lead to relatively non-invasive genotyping procedures that will allow the systematic characterisation of the diverse ethnic groups in Asia.