Pharmacogenomic Primer for the Pediatrician-What Is Really Important?

Safe prescribing of medications has become increasingly challenging with dozens of new drugs and drug classes added each year. Maximizing the ability to find a medication that will work as intended while minimizing side effects can be difficult, particularly when a patient does not respond as expected. Some of the variability in response may be attributed to the patient's genetics. Pharmacogenomics is the science of examining a patient's genotype in the context of medication selection and dosing. Used correctly, the clinical application of pharmacogenomic data can be useful in decreasing the trial and error approach to medication therapy. [Pediatr Ann. 2018;47(5):e217-e219.].