Twenty-five years of clinical chemistry 1964-1989. Challenges, progress and pitfalls

The 25th anniversary of the founding of the German Society for Clinical Chemistry is cause for reflection on the scientific development of clinical chemistry as a discipline within the field of medicine. It also provides an opportunity to review the aims of the Society's activities over the next decade, and to present some ideas for consideration. The founding of the German Society for Clinical Chemistry and the situation that led up to it is discussed. Challenges confronting laboratory directors at the time of the founding of the Society are described, and the chronological and logical development of the three pillars of clinical chemistry out of these challenges is outlined: general clinical chemistry, analytical chemistry in the biological matrix, clinical or pathological biochemistry. Finally, the mistakes of the last 25 years and continuing dangers are critically addressed, and the good prospects of meeting the challenges that lie ahead are discussed.