Normal Reference Laboratory Values?

To the Editor: Jordan et al. (Sept. 3 issue) 1 provided a list of normal reference laboratory values that was prefaced by the statement “Reprints are available at $2.50 each,” implying that these values are reference values for clinical laboratories. After the publication of the article, several physicians called us to question our normal values and cited the article as a reference. For each analyte, the authors listed only the method used, without specifying the particular instrument or reagent. A brief description of the procedure the authors used to establish these values would have helped other laboratories to generate their own . . .