When you hear of mice and men, you probably think of the John Steinbeck novel. But when scientists hear these words, they no doubt think of rodent studies used to examine human diseases. For years scientists have relied upon so-called “rodent studies” to analyze how viruses and substances react in humans. These studies have been criticized by many scientists as highly questionable, and now it appears a study in the Journal of the National Academies of Science has confirmed beyond any doubt that rodent studies are flawed with respect to at least three diseases – sepsis, burns and trauma. Since these three diseases are almost certainly not unique, scientists say it may be the final chapter of this mice and men storyline.