FORENSIC PHARMACOGENETICS

Year 2017, Volume: Volume 2 Issue: İssue 1 (1) - 2.İnternational Congress Of Forensic Toxicology, 83 - 83, 16.02.2017

Selda Mercan

Abstract

Drug therapy
method has been practiced for centuries. However, responses to drugs are
observed inter-individually variable and variation of responses may cause to
adverse drug reactions or severe toxic reactions even that can lead to
death.  Inter- individual differences are
based on the polymorphism of drug metabolising enzymes as well as age, gender,
nutrition, co-medication and physiological conditions. Variation in drug
response due to genetic differences is termed as “pharmacogenetics”.  The slogan of this discipline is “Right
patient, right drug, right time”.

It is essential
that the pharmacogenetics is needed to practice into forensic science. Forensic
pharmacogenetic should be evaluated in terms of molecular autopsy. Information
about an individual’s pharmacogenetic profile may possibly facilitate the
interpretation of the post-mortem result and contribute to solve the
“toxicological puzzle”. Adverse drug reactions or deaths related especially
codeine, warfarin, amitriptyline, fentanyl, antipsychotics should be considered
on a preferential basis in the polymorphism of genes including CYP450s such as
CYP2D6, CYP2C19, CYP3A4.

In this frame, conducted studies about forensic pharmacogenetics in
Turkey will be presented and the importance of this developing field will be
mentioned in company with samples. Some
problems such as ethical, technical and economical about this newly developing
area will be discussed. 

Keywords

FORENSIC PHARMACOGENETICS

References

• Selda MERCAN Istanbul University, Institute of Forensic Sciences, Forensic Toxicology Labs, 34098, Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey