The ‘post-genomic era’ has had an impact on biological and biomedical sciences since the recognition of a significant interindividual genetic variation. Pharmacology has not escaped this influence. This discipline, together with toxicology, has seen the development of areas such as pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics for several years now. These disciplines study the influence of the population’s genetic variability on the response people have to drugs and toxic substances. Different polymorphisms (genetic variants) in genes involved in the handling of xenobiotics in the body are able to determine an exaggerated, normal or reduced response to a certain dose of any drug. Many genes have been associated with poor response to pre-determined dosing protocols or with hypersensitivity reactions. Because of this, molecular genetics characterization tools are applied in many countries to adapt this protocol individually, i.e. a personalized pharmacology, where dosages are evaluated according to the genetic determinants a person carries in order to avoid or prevent adverse reactions in predisposed individuals. Costa Rica is a country that makes great efforts to give first-world medical care to its residents, but the field of pharmacogenetics has not been developed in our medium yet. Notwithstanding, the National Center for Biotechnology Innovations is currently funding a pioneering joint project with the University of Costa Rica in order to develop the application of this discipline in the country. This article presents the biological basis and clinical utility of pharmacogenetics, as well as the details regarding the efforts that are being made to develop this discipline in Costa Rica.

Pharmacogenetics; pharmacotherapy; Costa Rica; adverse reactions; molecular typing