The use of reference plasmas in the control of oral anticoagulant therapy.

Beginning in 1967, several committees have attempted to formulate a consensus opinion on how best to standardize the control of oral anticoagulant therapy. The three major proposals that evolved were: 1) to agree on a standard thromboplastin that would serve as a "reference thromboplastin", 2) to explore mathematical approaches for comparing the results obtained with various thromboplastins, and 3) the use of assayed plasmas that would serve as a common reference material for all thromboplastins. The advantages of reference plasmas as a common reference and their usefulness in the standardization of oral anticoagulant therapy are discussed.