World | clinical trials Volunteer in Botched French Drug Trial Dies Man in Biotrial clinical trial had been declared brain-dead By Newser Editors and Wire Services Posted Jan 17, 2016 9:05 AM CST Copied French Health Minister Marisol Touraine and Professor Gilles Edan, chief neuroscientist at Rennes Hospital, address the media, Friday, Jan. 15, 2016. (AP Photo/David Vincent) A French hospital says a patient has died after taking part in an experimental drug trial, and five other participants remain hospitalized. The Rennes University Hospital said in a statement that the patient, who had already been in a state of brain death, died Sunday. The statement says the hospital has contacted the 84 other volunteers exposed to the new painkiller, based on a natural brain compound similar to the active ingredient in marijuana. Ten of those volunteers underwent medical exams Saturday but the hospital found no anomalies, the statement says. French health authorities have said three of the hospitalized volunteers face possible brain damage. An investigation is underway into what happened. Click for more. Read These Next And ... 23,000 pages of Epstein files are now out. Merchants could slap new surcharges on certain credit card purchases. Warren Buffett is changing how he's distributing his vast wealth. Students hit with felony charges over a giant anti-TPUSA insect. Report an error