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Extrapolating from model organisms in pharmacology

Parkkinen, Veli-Pekka and Williamson, Jon (2020) Extrapolating from model organisms in pharmacology. In: Uncertainty in pharmacology: epistemology, methods, and decisions. Springer, Cham, Switzerland, pp. 59-78. ISBN 978-3-030-29178-5. E-ISBN 978-3-030-29179-2. (doi:10.1007/978-3-030-29179-2_3) (KAR id:89687)

Abstract

In this chapter we explore the process of extrapolating causal claims from model organisms to humans in pharmacology. We describe and compare four strategies of extrapolation: enumerative induction, comparative process tracing, phylogenetic reasoning, and robustness reasoning. We argue that evidence of mechanisms plays a crucial role in several strategies for extrapolation and in the underlying logic of extrapolation: the more directly a strategy establishes mechanistic similarities between a model and humans, the more reliable the extrapolation. We present case studies from the research on atherosclerosis and the development of statins, that illustrate these strategies and the role of mechanistic evidence in extrapolation.

Item Type: Book section
DOI/Identification number: 10.1007/978-3-030-29179-2_3
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General)
B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BC Logic
R Medicine > RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Arts and Humanities > School of Culture and Languages
Depositing User: Jon Williamson
Date Deposited: 09 Aug 2021 12:13 UTC
Last Modified: 20 Feb 2022 00:00 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/89687 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Parkkinen, Veli-Pekka.

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Williamson, Jon.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0514-4209
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