AUTOPSY - A CRUCIAL COMPONENT OF HUMAN CLINICAL INVESTIGATION

Objective.-To determine the proper role of human clinical investigatio n, including autopsy, in public health research policy. Data Sources.- Medical reports and reviews, and literature concerning the philosophy of medicine. Conclusions.-Autopsy has always been a cornerstone of med ical research. Although many pathologists appreciate the research valu e of autopsies, many other physicians do not. Declining federal suppor t for human clinical research in general, and autopsy in particular, p arty reflects the popular view that laboratory experimentation-especia lly that performed on nonhuman animals-can reliably model human condit ions. Human clinical research is often difficult, expensive, and time- consuming, but there seems to be no adequate substitute for studies of naturally occurring human conditions. Such studies address many criti cal medical questions. Autopsy remains an invaluable complement to evo lving molecular biology techniques.