title: Scientific medicine and Système International units.
abstract: The Système International, a modern version of the metric system, is being introduced into American medicine. The most compelling reason for this is that a worldwide standardization of weights and measures is taking place, and American medicine should take part in this process. A subsidiary advantage is that units of measurement used in clinical laboratories throughout the United States will be standardized as well. It is possible that expressing concentrations in moles per liter rather than as weight per volume will reveal clinically useful chemical relationships, but this remains unproved. Transition to Système International units will require use of different reference ranges, and there will be a potential for serious misinterpretation of laboratory data unless well-planned educational programs are instituted before the change.
mesh_terms: D002984:Clinical Laboratory Information Systems; D003201:Computers; D005060:Europe; D005544:Forecasting; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D007394:International System of Units / Q000266:history / Q000592:standards; D008511:Medicine / Q000639:trends*; D010820:Physicians; D014481:United States; D014894:Weights and Measures / Q000266:history / Q000592:standards