Reminiscences of Oscar Ratnoff : oral history, 1991; Oral history of Oscar Ratnoff, 1991
Abstract
Early interest during medical school in chronic disease; post World War II training in hematology and research; clinical experience with patients with blood clotting disorders and simultaneous research into same; discovery of the difference between Factor VIII and von Willebrand factor; resistance to advent of home treatment of hemophilia with freeze-dried concentrate due to perceived risk of trans mitting hepatitis; advent of AIDS in hemophilia community; discovery of discrepancies in health of immune system based on the use of cryoprecipitate versus lyophilized blood product; resistance to this discovery in the hemophilia community; interest throughout career in questioning popular theories and where that interest came from; work with Dr. David Agle on psychology and blood-clotting disorders; psychosocial aspects of hemophilia treatment, denial, isolation, etc.; resistance to comprehensive care model of hemophilia treatment; other physicians’ resistance to his discoveries; aspects of the hemophilia "community"; future of hemophilia care and perceived drawbacks to new technologies; economic aspects of hemophilia treatment
