“I can’t say until all the data has been analyzed. I’ve only seen a few patients, and one person’s reaction to the treatment won’t be the same as another’s. That’s why we do these trials. With larger numbers, we can get more understanding of the overall effectiveness and study further why some people may react differently than others.”

“Pamela, do you have a restroom here?” Dad asked.

“Oh, of course.” Pam pointed. “Right down the hallway, past the first patient’s room on the right.”

As Dad shuffled away, Kathy leaned forward and spoke softly. “What kind of results have you seen with the patients you’ve treated? I know it’s only a few, and not an official result, but… is it working at all?”

The nurse hesitated. She scanned the empty waiting room, sat next to Kathy, and whispered, “Okay, I didn’t tell you this, but it’s like a miracle. I’ve been a registered nurse for twenty years, and I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Kathy’s heart beat loudly in her chest, her eyes misted and she blinked away the unshed tears that blurred her vision. “Is there a control group? You know, are some patients getting placebos in this trial?”

Pam nodded. “Yes, I’m afraid there has to be. And I’m not allowed to know who’s in which group. That’s all handled by the company sponsor.” She pointed at the pamphlet. “It’s all in there. Your father will need to have blood drawn before we get started, and a physical workup.”

“But he’s already done all sorts of tests at the other hospital. Can’t you use those?”

“I’m afraid not.” The nurse shook her head. “The trial requires a fresh set of tests, all done by the staff here. Note that the first part of the trial requires inpatient monitoring of the trial participant, so he’ll be staying here with us for roughly seven days.”

“Inpatient?” Kathy felt a pang of anxiety. “I doubt our insurance would cover this. Do you know what the cost is? I have tuition money saved that—”

“There’s no cost.” Pamela smiled. “Any person accepted for this trial has all of their costs covered by the trial sponsor, AgriMed. That includes the testing, hospital stays, drugs, et cetera. We’ll even pay eighty dollars for every mandatory office visit you have to come to.”

“You’re kidding.” Kathy stared at the woman with her mouth agape, unbidden tears dribbling down her cheeks. “But, how’s that possible?”

“The sponsor is funding the research on this trial, and they’re covering all of the expenses,” the nurse said matter-of-factly. “That’s pretty standard practice for these types of trials.”

Dad came back, saw Kathy’s tear-streaked face, and said, “What in God’s name?”

“Dad, you’re doing this or I’m disowning you.”