I think when they were referring to models they weren't necessarily referring to mathematical models, but also experimental models. They more stressed the importance of the predictive models that you are using, which in biomedical research is typically an experimental rather than mathematical/computational model.

From the takeaways portion of the article

"Judging the quality of the 'compass' (i.e., the 'validity' of experimental models) is very difficult. However, the drug industry should put its brightest and best people onto the problem of model validity"