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This is an interesting development, indeed. As a pharmacologist in training, it is your role to design and engineer ****, and not really to test them directly on live patients. But seeing as Dr Zhang has his hand in so many different bodies of research, it doesn't seem too unusual that he'd ask this of you. In fact, it's a great opportunity to branch out your knowledge base.

"Absolutely!" you tell Dr Zhang. "I'll do anything you ask."

"Fantastic," says Dr Zhang, "I knew that we could count on you."
David gives you a big pat on the back. He says, "Welcome aboard."

"So what kind of results can I expect of our patients?" you ask them. The good doctor fumbles his answer, shifting his eyes around guiltily.

"Patients... right..." he coughs, "Well Mesmerol controls eratic behavior in schizophrenics and hyperactives by making them more docile and complacent, as David has already explained to you, isn't that right?"

"Yes, and some of the effects include drowsiness and suppression of cognitive faculties," your friend adds, "which is no problem when we are talking about people who are already too active or impossible to predict or control anyway."

"Exactly," Dr Zhang notes, "but the effects in ordinary people-- from what we've seen so far-- are very similar. To put it frankly, Mesmerol nearly destroys the user's will power. The user will pretty much do whatever he's told and not think much of it. If he has any doubts, he will shrug them off and go along, albeit reluctantly at times."

The professor wasn't quite forthcoming when it came to explaining the ethics committee's displeasure. Perhaps this is what he -wasn't- talking about.

"So how do we go about getting volunteers?" you ask.

This time, both Zhang and David hem and haw. Eventually, David reaches an explanation, "From what little data we've gotten, the **** doesn't work very well on informed, lucid participants, and of course nothing happens in placebo. That would leave you thinking that the **** is ineffective, but it turns out that the best subjects are those unaware they're being tested, so we know the power of suggestion by itself is not working."

They're talking about testing people without their knowledge. No wonder Zhang felt funny about referring to his subjects as "patients." This is probably the most unethical thing you've ever heard of, but this is being done in the name of science...

Dr Zhang takes a gander at the clock on the wall. He rises and starts putting papers together in his suitcase. "Well, it's time for another meeting. I'm sorry to leave so suddenly, but I've got to discuss this situation with the other facultymembers. I'll leave this to you two. And remember to keep this -quiet.- David, I trust that you'll take care of this apprentice here?"

"Of course, Dr Zhang." The good doctor walks out the door. David looks at you.