Systematic reviews of the literature on clinical trials using traditional Chinese medicine in influenza patients have demonstrated the need for proper design, using randomized controlled trials and sufficiently large study groups to gain meaningful results (84, 85) as well as a more systematic approach to disease diagnosis (86) . Thus it would be informative to take the insights gained from results in mice into the clinic. Patients hospitalized with influenza could be recruited [see ref. (87) for parameters relating to recruitment] to a randomized controlled trial to determine if treatment with a traditional Chinese medicine formula (for example, the formula previously discussed here) affected the course of disease. It would be prudent to begin treatment immediately, before laboratory confirmation of influenza virus infection. This is because symptoms are apparent at the time of increased serum cytokine levels (87) . Obviously patients testing negative to influenza virus would subsequently be excluded from analysis. The decoction would be prepared in the traditional manner (simmering in boiling water for 45-60 min) and administered to patients by hospital staff. The control treatment could simply be a flavored water solution that is stored in the same way as the decoction (at 4 C for not more than 1 week), and consumed daily in the same quantity as the decoction. Both solutions should be colored identically (with a food-grade dye, for example). It would be ideal to ensure the trial was conducted in a double-blind fashion so that neither the patient nor the staff knew which treatment was active. Previous studies have compared the incidence of influenza-like illness in healthcare workers (93), secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines and may also secrete HMGB1 both actively and passively. MIP is macrophage inflammatory protein.