SCIENCE TALK: Inflammation Causes Disease: Science Gone Terribly Wrong

“Everyone knows” that hyperinflammation (often referred to as a “cytokine storm”) is a cause of every disease known. This must be true because we see references to this idea on late-night television, in print media, in pop culture pronouncements, in alternative medicine promotions and testimonials, on vitamin pill bottles, in the Skeptical Enquirer, and at the work water cooler. Uncountable scientists and health care professionals swear fealty to this idea and relentlessly promote it in a manner that resembles a cult. It is likely resources exceeding I trillion dollars have been spent on anti-inflammation research/drugs/promotions, and the expenditures increase by billions of dollars every year. Therefore, it must be true. Right? It is true that some diseases indeed are caused by inflammation, and anti-inflammation drugs have been of great benefit. However, in the overwhelming majority of cases there is no evidence supporting an inflammation-disease connection. Moreover, it is likely that no such association exists. Within the medical community, the idea hyperinflammation causes disease has been most extensively studied for a role in sepsis. Sepsis is inflammation sufficient to cause organ malfunction or death due to infection. Despite hundreds of failed clinical trials designed to treat sepsis with anti-inflammation measures, the medical community has failed to take the hint. Ongoing studies in this area continue despite an unprecedented history of failure.