Definition of "pharmacogenetics" []

• The study of genetic factors that influence an organism's reaction to a drug. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Only a handful of clinics are using gene tests to guide drug therapy, but the practice (known as pharmacogenetics) is spreading fast."
• "The field, known as pharmacogenetics, has made strides in the battle against certain cancers and shows great promise in improving efficacy, reducing adverse reactions of drugs and limiting medical costs."
• "Johnson, a clinical pharmacist at the University of Florida, studies this gene-drug relationship, known as pharmacogenetics, with a focus on cardiovascular diseases."