Personalised medicines: more tailored drugs, more tailored delivery.

摘要

While more knowledge of the patient genome will undoubtedly bring many benefits for patients, this by itself is unlikely to correct the shortfalls in current medication prescribing, usage and monitoring (pharmacotherapy). Special efforts are necessary to ensure that the medication process is improved so that avoidable problems do not diminish the scientific and technical advances in therapy which would otherwise be brought about. Genomics have the power to improve the target selectivity of drugs, the selection of volunteers and patients for clinical trials and hence the chance for success of many agents in specific populations and individuals, which is the key promise of personalised medicine. Personalised medicine has to be linked with personalised medicines and their . personalised administration. Hence the title of this commentary uses the word "delivery" in its two senses: first, the traditional sense of optimization of drug delivery via formulations and devices; and second, the physical delivery and administration to/by the patient. Personalised medicine involves the correct diagnosis, the correct choice of drug, the choice of optimal dose, the calculation of the dose for specific individuals and drug administration at the appro" priate time and, as with intravenous medication and implanted pumps, the proper rate.