Study

After my recent blog on our grant money, K (a friend of mine who worked in another sector) told me his experience.

"You know what, my institute got a government grant last year. It was tens of millions of dollars !" He said.

"I don't even heard of such a big grant from our government. What's that all about ?"

"It was an epidemiological study, which aim to determine the prevalence of a particular disease." My friend explained.

"I suppose that must be a common and serious condition ?"

"Very much so. From previous data, it seems to affect 7 to 10% of the target group, and the cost is enormous."

"That sounds exciting. Do you know of some preliminary result and share with me ?" I was really interested.

"In fact we've just finished with phase one, in which we screened several hundreds of subjects..."

"Well... ?" I saw his hesitancy.

"And we find none of the participant had that disease." My friend said solemnly.

"Alas ... What actually is your project ?" I said, with my jaw fell onto the floor.

"It is the Trial Scheme on School Drug Testing (校園驗毒計劃)."