Much still needs to be discovered concerning the cure and treatment of lupus. Scientists are currently looking at several areas surrounding lupus, such as: who gets lupus and why, why there are more cases of lupus in some racial and ethnic groups, what goes wrong with the immune system and why, how the immune system can be corrected before something goes wrong, and what treatment approaches work best to lessen or cure symptoms of lupus. The most promising areas of research include: identifying lupus susceptibility genes, searching for environmental agents that cause lupus, and developing drugs or biologic agents that cure lupus.

Health promotion for people with lupus needs to be emphasized and improved. Millions of Americans with chronic disabling conditions, such as lupus, have little opportunity to participate in structured rehabilitation programs and are often faced with the challenge of promoting their own health. This is partly because health care professionals often focus on the disability to the disregard of a treatment strategy that might prevent secondary conditions. People with lupus need to be treated as individuals who are fully capable of achieving good health within the context of their chronic condition.