What is a core goal of personalized medicine in substance use disorders?

• A. Genetics And Biomarkers Guide Treatment Selection
• B. Uniform Treatments For All Patients
• C. Focus On Withdrawal Symptoms Only
• D. Isolate Patients From Technology

Answer: (A)

Personalized medicine aims to tailor treatment to each individual’s biology, using genetics and biomarkers to guide which medication, dose, or intervention is most likely to work. This approach recognizes that people differ in how they metabolize drugs, how their receptors respond, and their risk for side effects or relapse, so selecting therapies based on these biological factors can improve efficacy and reduce trial-and-error.

Uniform treatments for all patients ignore these differences, which is why they’re not aligned with personalized care. Focusing only on withdrawal symptoms misses broader outcomes like craving, relapse risk, and overall functioning. Isolating patients from technology runs counter to using data and tools that help tailor care, not toward the goal of personalization.