French Drug Trial Halted After One Patient Becomes Brain Dead

In a statement, the health ministry said a “serious accident” occurred at a private laboratory in the city of Rennes, and that all trials of the drug have been suspended there.

The six volunteers were taken to the University Hospital of Rennes, and others who took the treatment are being recalled.

The minister said she would be making an emergency visit to the city, in the north-west of France, on Friday. The public prosecutor had opened an investigation in flagrancy and indicated that he would quickly give further information.

Touraine said the study was a phase one clinical trial, in which healthy volunteers take the medication to “evaluate the safety of its use, tolerance and pharmacological profile of the molecule”.

Six people are critically ill following a clinical drug trial in France.

Unconfirmed French media reports said it was a cannabis-based painkiller.

Biotrial says it is to hold a press conference with the health ministry at 1.30pm at Rennes CHU hospital.

She added that she was determined to “shed light on” what happened.