“The effectivness of drugs depends on genetic differences,” stressed Kucherlapati, who pointed to the genetic basis of most human diseases affecting the general population.

“Knowledge of the human genome is enabling us to understand how each of us is unique,” he went on.

By identifying the genes for many complex and common diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and psychiatric illness, he explained that pharmaceutical companies would provide more efficient “tailor-made” drugs for patients.

“[Personalized medicine] will revolutionize the way medicine is going to be practiced,” he said.

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