Clinical Trial 4

This well-researched medical mystery examines the clinical trial of a new medication, Eumonia, which may reduce paranoia and aggressive impulses. The drug trial takes place within Cranston State Prison and the balance among the prison administration, inmate, research, and clinical cultures, each with its own written and unwritten rules, is precarious at best.

Dr. Thomas Phillip has been recruited to oversee the field test. After the violent death of his wife three years earlier, Phillips's life had been gradually spiraling downward. The request to oversee the project and return to his psychologist position at the prison came unexpectedly from his former boss, Jim Dwyer, the prison superintendent. Eumonia was developed by Adams Pharmaceuticals, a Providence, RI based startup, and a positive field test will allow Adams to enter the lucrative correctional healthcare market. To ensure a successful trial, the investors and drug company executives are willing to bend the rules, placing Dr. Phillips in an ethical and potentially violent dilemma.

For those interested a psychological thriller that explores some of the real ethical, medical, and social dilemmas in today's world, McMackin's novel is just what the doctor ordered