Depends on whether we are talking about prescriptions or
measurements in body fluids (which I assume to be the case).
Doesn't the way in which one reports the results of an assay of a
particular drug or poison depend on whether the assay used to
measure the concentration in a test sample constitutes an analytical
or a comparative assay? This would depend in turn (inter alia) on
whether or not the particular assay responds to metabolites in the
test sample. If the latter, assay results would be method dependent
and should be expressed in activity units.
Having long eaten edible funghi, originally because I was poor,
subsequently because some are delicious, I'm aware that Amanita
phalloides is highly poisonous and is to be carefully avoided. It
contains various toxins including amatoxins of which the principal
one (in A.phalloides) is alpha-amanitin. In short the poisons the
fungus produces are heterogeneous in composition, and could only be
assayed (if one wanted to do this) in a comparative assay.
If, on the other hand, an assay were responsive solely to a single
substance of unique molecular structure in both test samples and
calibrants, the results could be validly expressed in either mass or
molar units. Personally I'd prefer the latter, but don't think it's
such a big deal if others prefer the former.
Roger Ekins
>Dear Colleagues
>
>I have to date had no real responses regading the proprosal that all
>clinical laboratories in the UK report drugs and poisons in MASS SI
>units. I am very pleased to inform you that the Scottish Senior
>Clinical Biochemists Group have recently agreed that all laboratoies in
>Scotland will be shanging to mass units.
>
>I assume that the total silence means that there are no objections to a
>change in England too, so can we have a discussion about time lines for
>a change over?
>
>Yours hopefully
>Julian
>
>
>Julian H Barth MD FRCP FRCPath
>Consultant in Chemical Pathology & Metabolic Medicine
>Department of Clinical Biochemistry & Immunology
>Leeds General Infirmary
>Leeds LS1 3EX
>
>tel 0113 392 3416
>fax 0113 392 5174
>
>Editor-in-Chief, Annals of Clinical Biochemistry,
>http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/acb
>
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--
Prof Roger Ekins, PhD DSc FRS
Molecular Endocrinology
University College London Medical School
London W1N 8AA
Fax +44 20 7580 2737
Phone +44 20 7679 9410
------ACB discussion List Information--------
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Please note, archived messages are public and can be viewed
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they are responsible for all message content.
ACB Web Site
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