Article originally published in MedCity News | August 27, 2026
Sepsis can happen to anyone. Clinicians know it and patients fear it. But too few researchers target it.
We’ve seen an upwell of news articles and social media posts about the deadly disease in the weeks since NASCAR driver Kyle Busch’s tragic death. Each piece earnestly describes sepsis symptoms and outlines what people should do if symptoms appear. It’s a good conversation, because increasing awareness is deeply important and can save lives. But awareness alone won’t help patients who will still be relegated to supportive care when they arrive at the hospital.
When it comes to making progress toward better treatment options for patients who develop sepsis and other acute conditions, progress has been stalled for decades. Sepsis is the “graveyard for pharmaceutical companies” because drugs stall after unsuccessful clinical trials. The result? No truly new therapeutics in more than 20 years.