The rejection that defies antirejection drugs—chronic vascular rejection (allograft vasculopathy): The role of terminology and linguistic relativity

While allograft loss due to acute rejection has been dramatically reduced due to the introduction of immunophilins, this therapy has little effect on allografts lost due to chronic vascular rejection. This situation may be due to a misnomer of the pathology. Specifically, its designation as ‘chronic rejection’ has given the wrong impression that the cause of the disease has been identified. Analyzing this phenomenon under the rubric of linguistic relativity suggests that the words chosen to name the disease may have restricted our cognitive ability to solve the problem. Thus, we have to step out of the ‘alloimmunity/rejection box’.

          Let’s pause between our words,

          Speak and fall silent again,

          So that the meaning of the word just spoken,

          Sounds a clearer echo in our heads.

          Let’s pause between our words.

                Andrey Makarevich.