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The aim of pharmacogenetics is to tailor drug therapy to the genetic make-up of an individual, in order to avoid adverse drug reactions and gain the maximum therapeutic benefit. There is considerable evidence that the frequencies of some genetic variants associated with differing responses to drugs vary between different racial and ethnic groups. However, Wilson et al show that commonly used racial/ethnic classifications (caucasian, black, asian etc) correlate poorly with the distribution of genetic variants that are known to be significant for drug responses [Wilson, J.F et al (2001) Nat Genet 29, 265-269 (Abstract); also see commentary by McLeod, H.L. (2001) Nat Genet 29, 247-248 (Abstract). When people were grouped instead on the basis of shared sets of "neutral" genetic markers such as microsatellites, there was better correlation with drug metabolism profiles, though there was no genetic clustering method that was ideal. Wilson et al suggest that "it is not only feasible but a clinical priority to assess genetic structure as part of drug evaluation".

Comment: This paper strengthens the growing realisation that traditional ways of grouping and classifying different human populations according to skin colour or other visible physical features are inadequate in genetic terms. Eventually, it may be possible to establish a truly individualised pharmacogenetic approach that removes the need for any grouping of people at all, but in the interim, studies on average differences in response between genetically defined population groups should provide valuable information to guide drug development.