[The paradigm change in medical thinking].

Due to the rapid growth of basic knowledge in recent decades, a tremendous amount of superspecial scientific information is confronting us today. This overflow of new and often short-lived data is influencing in a considerable way the view and the management of all life sciences. On the basis of the change of paradigm in modern economic systems, also influencing management, we try to compare the particular components of these changes that occur in medical sciences, e.g. in pathophysiology, diagnostic investigations and therapy. Most of the paradigm components can be used for an analysis of the consequences of the rapid changes in the medical way of thinking. For this contemplation, selected cases of thyroid disorders have been chosen.