PharmGKB: the pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics knowledge base.

Adverse drug reactions, side effects and the wide range of efficacy in patient responses to drugs have driven the need to identify the genetic variation that affects this. The Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics Knowledge Base (PharmGKB) is a unique online resource that contains genotype and phenotype data derived from individual members of the public who have agreed to allow their deidentified medical information to be used by the scientific community for pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics research (Klein et al, 2001). PharmGKB aims to promote shared information, providing data and analytical tools that will drive focused studies, with the ultimate goal of defining genedrug-disease interactions. This knowledge will help to reduce drug toxicity and improve treatments, eventually impacting prescribing practice and leading to personalized medicine.