Kerfuffle!

\k r-'f -f l\ to become disheveled. A kerfuffle is the polite term for a cascading series of errors that can be initiated by a seemingly innocuous event that then leads to other errors that gain in severity and impact. This article describes some of the common kerfuffles that arise in modeling and simulation efforts. The process of eradicating or minimizing the impact of these pharmacometric kerfuffles begins with the recognition that the errors that contribute to the kerfuffle can and should be addressed systematically. They are not just an unpleasant aspect of the job that pharmacometricians must learn to live with in the conscientious execution of their work.