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French Clinical Trial Leaves 1 Comatose, 5 Others Hospitalized

France's Ministry of Health said in a statement the six participants had been taking part in the trial of an oral medication at a lab in Rennes.
Posted at 7:56 AM, Jan 15, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-15 07:56:00-05

One person is in a coma and five others have been hospitalized after participating in a clinical trial for a new drug in northwest France.

The country's Ministry of Health said in a statement Friday that the six participants had been taking part in the trial of an oral medication at a privately-licensed laboratory in Rennes.

Many media outlets have speculated the drug is a "cannabis-based painkiller," but officials didn't address that claim.

The lab reportedly informed health officials about the incident overnight. The trial has since been halted, and an investigation is now underway.