FARMACOGENÉTICA NA AMÉRICA LATINA

Pharmacogenetics is a field that studies the relationship between genetic polymorphisms and inter-individual variability in drug response. This area is part of the so-called ''personalized medicine'', which is based on the genetic profile of each patient for an individualized and therefore more precise pharmacological prescription. Knowing that the frequency of the genetic variants may be associated with ancestry, it is possible that it is also related to drug response. Latin American populations originate from an admixture process among Native Americans, Africans, and Europeans; in this context, the population ancestral roots are heterogeneous and distributed in different proportions when comparing countries and even different regions on the same country. Because of the heterogeneity of these populations, the clinic implementation of pharmacogenetics becomes more complex once admixed individuals are underrepresented in pharmacogenetic studies. Initiatives such as the Iberoamerican Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics Network and the Brazilian Pharmacogenetic Network have emerged with the purpose of changing this scenario by promoting the inclusion of Latin populations in pharmacogenetic research, in addition to work on the development of symposiums and educational courses. Nevertheless, there are still challenges to be trespassed. Through collaborative efforts, it would be possible for pharmacogenetics to fulfill its purpose by positively impacting public health worldwide, enabling safer and more effective treatments in an individual and specific context.