Published on 11/30/2006
The AmpliChip could be a staple in the medical industry in the near future once it has been tweaked properly. This product utilizes genetic analyses to determine how quickly an individual metabolizes certain drugs, hence making it smart enough to predict who will most likely undergo a bout of unpleasant or toxic side effects. This is made possible by detecting unique variations in genes that code for a couple of high-priority drug-metabolizing enzymes, CYP2D6 and CYP2C19. A finished, commercialized product will be extremely useful as it prevents patients from taking more drugs than their body can handle despite popping in the "recommended" dosage.