Two of the issues in medicine which limit discovery of the cause of chronic diseases are, 1.) Science asks leading questions (hypothetical questions), i.e. does X cause Y, which then requires 1000’s of studies into 1000’s of possible causes, hoping an answer will reveal itself; and, 2.) Science assumes one cause per disease: Scientific studies must consistently confirm a single cause, or it is considered an association, and co-morbid conditions are not investigated for possible common root causes.
These issues impede discovery when a chronic disease has more than one cause; the effect of the disease changes over time; and when chronic diseases arises from a combination of factors. Asking open-ended questions, investigating more than one possible cause and/or combination of causes, and searching for common findings in chronic diseases and co-morbid conditions, could be productive avenues for research.