Drug elimination by extracorporeal methods (hemodialysis, hemoperfusion, hemofiltration, plasmapheresis) was investigated in an ex vivo model using banked blood. The drugs (cefotaxime, glibenclamide, isoxepac, metamizole, nomifensine, penbutolol, procainamide) showed a consistent behavior in two different concentrations. Hemodialysis showed a clear correlation between speed of elimination and size of molecules and solubility in water; plasmapheresis yielded a predictably homogeneous speed of removal with the exception of penbutolol (slow). Hemofiltration and hemoperfusion do not allow consistent prediction of results.