It’s been around for some time now. The idea of checking a person’s genes to guide appropriate prescribing is not new. It is pretty much standard practice when treating many if not most cancers.

But pharmacogenomics in general practice? Looking at an individual’s genetic variants to work out the best treatment for their depression, high cholesterol or gout? Yes – it’s coming.

As authors of a recently published review in the Australian Journal of General Practice say, all practising clinicians will have had the experience of patients responding differently to medications despite every indication the medication should be effective, based on all the evidence from randomised controlled trials.