Chapter 12

Dinner was over. The last of the Shiraz had been poured and drunk. And the three of them adjourned to the lounge room.

‘Okay. Spit it out,’ Brendan began. ‘I can see there is something you want to tell me. I suspect there is more to this dinner than dinner.’

He was addressing Lisa but it was Andrew who responded.

‘You’re right Brendan. But it is me who has something to tell you, not Lisa.’

‘Okay Andrew. I’m listening.’

For the next fifteen minutes Andrew related the story just as he had done to Lisa the day before. When he finished, Brendan’s only comment was ‘Wow.’

‘I assume you know all this Lisa. What do you think?’

‘I don’t know what to think Brendan. My immediate reaction was that there must be some innocent explanation for all this but now I’m not so sure. I agree with Andrew that it needs to be investigated. That’s where you come in Brendan. We need your advice.’

‘And of course, this is to be kept confidential,’ Andrew added.

Brendan gave him a look.

‘I know I am a journalist Andrew, but even journalists can keep confidences. You have nothing to worry about on that score.’

Brendan took out a pen from his pocket, asked for some paper which Lisa handed to him and spent a minute or so making some notes. It looked like a list of some sort.

‘Let’s analyse the scenario. I’ve made a list of the people who would need to be involved if what you suspect actually took place. But I have to be honest. I’m sceptical. It seems too far-fetched to me even though the journalist in me loves a conspiracy theory.’

Andrew and Lisa waited.

Brendan continued, ‘At the top of the list would be Jeffrey Harris. He ran the trial and something like this could not have happened without his knowledge. In fact, he would have to have been the instigator.’

Both Andrew and Lisa nodded, as much as it pained them to do so.

‘If the scans belong to someone else, then obviously Howard Bell would have to have been involved or someone else in the Radiology Department.’

More nods.

‘Pathology reports were issued, so someone from that department was also in on it. Biopsies were done, so neurosurgeons possibly also.’

‘I’m not sure about the neurosurgeons,’ Andrew said. ‘The biopsies were all stereotactic, the surgeons saw the lesions on the scan and biopsied the lesion and tissue was sent over to pathology. The surgeon could have been totally unaware.’

‘Okay, maybe not the surgeon,’ Brendan replied.

‘And last, but I’m sure by no means least, Winston Heathfield. There was no way he wasn’t involved.’

‘What makes you say that Brendan? He was funding the trial but I don’t think he was involved in running it.’

‘Think Andrew. You are postulating that the patients with fake brain tumours were cured by Amaradine. The trial was double blind, you told me so. So the investigator and the patient did not know whether the patient was receiving the active drug or the placebo. That’s how a double blind trial is done. Am I correct?’

‘Yes you are Brendan. But I still don’t see how Heathfield comes into it.’

‘Think again Andrew. If you want a trial to come out positive, you have to ensure that the fake patients are receiving the active drug, not the placebo. So that when the results are analysed the stats come out right. WH Pharmaceuticals supplied both the active drug and the placebo, this could only have been done at their end and who else but Heathfield could accomplish that?’

Andrew had to admire Brendan’s analytical mind. Of course. He hadn’t thought of that. Lisa was right, Brendan was just the person to help them solve the mystery.

‘You’re right Brendan. It could only have been Heathfield.’

‘Unless you can think of anyone else, we have all the players,’ said Brendan.

‘See Andrew,’ said Lisa. ‘I told you Brendan would figure this out.’

‘Thanks Lisa, but I haven’t’ figured anything out yet. We may have all the players but how do we get any one of them to talk?’

Now it was Andrew’s turn.

‘Let’s go through the list. Obviously there is no way I can approach Jeffrey. Howard Bell has already given me the mislabelled scan story as he did to George Edwards, so I doubt he will say anything different. I really don’t think the neurosurgeons are involved. So they are out. There’s no way I can ask Winston Heathfield. He would never admit anything and would, I’m sure, immediately report to Jeffrey, so that’s out. That only leave Pathology. Someone would have to release fake pathology reports. There may be an opportunity there. I think Arthur Hughes is still the Head of Anatomical Pathology but I really don’t know him well or anyone else in the department for that matter.’

‘What about Walter Long, the pharmacist?’ asked Lisa. ‘Could he have been involved? All the trial drugs would have had to go through the Pharmacy Department and would have been dispensed by the pharmacist.’

‘Good thought Lisa,’ Andrew said and Brendan nodded in agreement.

‘He should to on the list too. But I would find it difficult to believe that Walter would be a party to this. I’m happy to sound him out. We get along very well. But my money is on Pathology. I think that’s out best bet.’

‘Okay boys and girls, my work here is done,’ said Brendan as he stood up. ‘You have enough to start with Andrew. I will leave you to it. Let’s talk again. Andrew, you can trust me. Mum’s the word.’