LONDON, March 15: Six men were in a London hospital’s intensive care unit on Wednesday after participating in trials of a new drug that were immediately suspended as Britain’s health watchdog launched an investigation.

The men, who were all healthy, paid volunteers, were admitted to the Northwick Park hospital in northwest London on Tuesday night, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Two of the men were in a “critical condition” while the other four were “serious but stable” in intensive care, she said. The BBC reported that they had suffered multiple organ failure.

The health watchdog Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said it halted the trial of the drug, intended to treat immunological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and certain cancers.

The watchdog sent in inspectors and sounded an international alert, warning other European regulatory bodies of the problem.

One other European country is thought to be carrying out trials of the drug, the Press Association news agency said.

Britain’s Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt branded the incident a “shocking event” and said her thoughts were with “those young people and with their families.”

She added that the police had been involved.—AFP