Final answer:
Treatments with fewer side effects include those with targeted approaches, established safety profiles, and lower systemic absorption. Dosage and the route of administration tailored to individual patient characteristics can minimize side effects, as can the utilization of controlled drug delivery systems and pharmacogenomics.
Step-by-step explanation:
In medicine, side effects are a significant concern when selecting a treatment regimen. Treatments with fewer side effects are generally characterized by having a more targeted approach, a well-established safety profile, or lower systemic absorption. Narrow-spectrum drugs, for example, have effects that are limited to specific pathogens, reducing the likelihood of widespread impact on the body compared to broad-spectrum drugs, which can lead to superinfections. As depicted in (Chorpita et al., 2011), evidence-based treatments that have undergone rigorous clinical testing tend to have well-characterized safety and efficacy profiles.Dosage and route of administration are critical in minimizing side effects. A tailored dose based on patient's characteristics like mass (especially in children) and organ function (considering liver or kidney disease) can significantly impact the incidence of adverse reactions. Controlled drug delivery systems, particularly in cancer therapy, are crucial as they facilitate the direct delivery of anticancer drugs to the tumor site, thus reducing the systemic spread and associated side effects. Additionally, pharmacogenomics plays a pivotal role where genetic information is used to predict individual responses to drugs, thereby improving the safety profile of medications, as shown in the example of abacavir for HIV treatment.