Relevance of in Vitro and Animal Models to Clinical Thrombosis

Abstract

I have been thinking during this conference about the relevance to clinical thrombosis of the various experimental models that have been discussed. I now feel somewhat like the cartoon scientist sitting at the bench of his cluttered laboratory, gazing into space. In the background one colleague says to another: “Since he became an Aristotelian, he has stopped experimenting, and he now believes that all knowledge comes from thought alone.” Perhaps it is unjustified to be that negative about the methods that have been described; yet it is vitally important to consider whether the experimental model which each of us doggedly espouses has any relevance to thrombosis in the human. This brings me to the definition of relevance. Dr. Spaet says what is relevant is the work being done in his laboratory.