Canada’s pharmaceutical industry is undergoing a major transition towards personalized medicine, which customizes therapies based on an individual’s genetics, environment, and lifestyle. The goal of personalized medicine is to improve treatment efficacy, decrease adverse drug reactions, and streamline healthcare resources. The evolution of genomics and data-driven healthcare will form the foundation of personalized medicine, helping patient care in Canada to become more precise and tailored.
Abadir Nasr, a Canadian pharmacist and small business owner, has seen firsthand the power and impact of personalized medicine and patient care. He believes the shift toward personalized therapy enhances health results and decreases negative drug responses.
“Personalized medicine is a paradigm shift in health care. By understanding patient-specific differences, we can target our drug treatments more accurately and with less adverse responses,” says Nasr.
Pharmacogenomics, the study of how genes impact a person’s response to drugs, is a major aspect of personalized medicine. Ultimately, this leads to better patient outcomes and less risk of adverse drug reactions.
Personalized medicine also includes lifestyle and environmental factors. By merging big data and electronic health records, healthcare professionals can adopt a more comprehensive perspective. This enables us to take things forward by understanding disease patterns based on an accurate and data-driven approach toward more informed treatment decisions.
The Canadian market for personalized medicine is growing. According to Precedence Research, the market was worth USD 68.29 Billion in 2023 and is expected to grow with a compound annual growth rate of 8.3% from 2024 to 2033. The field has grown on the back of developments in genomics, biotechnology, and increasing demand for targeted drug therapies.
The personalized medicine biomarkers segment is witnessing significant growth as well. In 2024, this market was worth USD 1,156.9 million and is projected to reach USD 2,469.6 million in 2030, growing at a CAGR of 13.5% between 2025 and 2030. These biomarkers can help diagnose diseases earlier and determine which treatments are most likely effective for particular patients.
Pharmacogenomics was first introduced to clinics in Canada. More than 110 pharmacies in British Columbia have implemented pharmacogenetic testing through myDNA testing kits, where pharmacists are leveraging this information to deliver personalized medication services to their patients. This effort gives patients more precise and better medicines, reducing trial-and-error prescribing and improving health.
The implementation of pharmacogenomic testing has also been inconsistent among various Canadian healthcare providers. In one study from Manitoba, one in three participating pharmacists reported previous education or training in pharmacogenomics. However, only 12.2% had ever used pharmacogenomic test results in their practice. This shows the necessity for broader education/input on personalized medicine practices vs. integration into the healthcare system.
While personalized medicine holds great potential, there are still many barriers to its wider application. One major barrier is the cost of genetic testing and data analysis. Though the cost of whole-genome sequencing has become dramatically lower over the last decade, it’s still expensive for many patients and healthcare providers. Government policies and insurance coverage will be key to making these services widely accessible.
A second obstacle is the need for increased awareness and education among healthcare providers. Doctors and pharmacists have little to no education in pharmacogenomics, making personalized medicine challenging to implement in practice. This knowledge gap can be addressed by incorporating pharmacogenomic education into medical and pharmacy school curricula.
Patient privacy and data security issues are also critical concerns. Since personalized medicine depends on the integration of large amounts of genetic and health data, safeguarding this data for privacy and security is of utmost importance. These concerns may require more stringent data protection regulations and patient consent frameworks.
In the future, personalized medicine will be ingrained in Canadian healthcare. As a result of advances in technology and research, patients suffering from conditions like cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and rare genetic disorders will experience the delivery of more targeted therapies.
Precision medicine is being heavily explored by pharmaceutical companies, with drugs targeting specific genes. Moving away from “one-size-fits-all” treatments, individualized treatment plans are predicted to lead to better drug efficacy and lower healthcare costs over the long term.
“The shift toward personalized medicine improves patient care, and it is a key step in a changing healthcare environment,” says Abadir Nasr.
The success of personalized medicine depends on collaboration among researchers, healthcare providers, and policymakers to analyze and interpret the data so that patients can benefit from its use. This delivery model might not work for everyone, but by solving current issues and putting this solution in place, Canada could improve its healthcare system.