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Researchers predict that the medicines of the future may not only look and work differently than those you take today, but tomorrow’s medicines will be tailored to your genes. In 10 to 20 years, many scientists expect that genetics —the study of how genes influence actions, appearance, and health—will pervade medical treatment. Today, doctors usually give you an “average” dose of a medicine based on your body size and age. In contrast, future medicines may match the chemical needs of your body, as influenced by your genes. Knowing your unique genetic make-up could help your doctor prescribe the right medicine in the right amount, to boost its effectiveness and minimize possible side effects. Along with these so-called pharmacogenetic approaches, many other research directions will help guide the prescribing of medicines. The science of pharmacology—understanding the basics of how our bodies react to medicines and how medicines affect our bodies—is already a vital part of 21st-century research. Chapter 1, “ABCs of Pharmacology,” tracks a medicine’s journey through the body and describes different avenues of pharmacology research today.

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