When you take any medication - whether it’s a painkiller or your hypertension pills - your body responds in a unique way due to your genes. This can explain why some medications may not seem as effective, requiring your doctor to change it or adjust the dosage. Or why you have certain side effects while others don’t. The field of pharmacogenomics uses information about a person's genetic makeup, or genome, to study that individual’s response to drugs. How could pharmacogenomics help to improve personalised medicine, as well as prevent problems from adverse drug reactions. Dr Rebecca Tay, Co-Organising Chairperson of the 1st Malaysia Pharmacogenomics Summit 2024, brings her expertise in pharmacy and molecular medicine to this discussion.

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