WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Drugs don't necessarily affect everyone in the same way. Certain medications can be dangerous to people with certain genetic makeups.

That's why scientists at Bindley Bioscience Center in Purdue's Discovery Park are trying to come up with a quick way to determine what a proper dosage is for a particular person or whether that person can even tolerate the drug.

Researchers believe a person's DNA can reveal clues about his or her risk of adverse drug reactions. They've developed technology called pharmacogenetics.

The took would give health care workers patients' genetic profiles, which would signal whether the patients' bodies can safely metabolize a drug in question.

"If there is an increased risk of an adverse drug response, the system would flag the physician or pharmacist and tell them to adjust the drug by lowering the dose or choosing an alternative," said Mike Kane, lead genomics scientist at Bindley Bioscience Center.

Kane hopes that by reducing the adverse reactions, people will be more likely to take all their medicines the way they're supposed to.

Kane said he wants to begin implementing the technology in pharmacies later this year.

In the meantime, the Department of Health and Human Services suggests the following tips: Get the facts about all your medications, talk with your doctor, stick with the treatment plan, and keep a record.

For more information, visit http://www.ahrq.gov.