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In other words, there will be obvious scientific challenges to the validity of such a study...

Exactly. It's not a real study.

Charge 10k-12k and use the extra funds to run a study large enough for a placebo group (say, 50% get placebo and a small sum of $$$ for their time).

Refund the placebo folks after the study?

Offer to give them treatment if it was effective?

The only study here is one in how to seperate people from $8k with the promise of near immortality from blood that was taken under the pretense of helping people who actually need it.