SAFETY will be compromised in clinical trials if bosses at a global healthcare firm close down a major unit in London, a worker at the site warned yesterday.

The prestigious Quintiles clinical trials unit at Guy’s Hospital, south London, runs early phase trials for new pharmaceutical products. It employs around 170 staff including doctors, nurses and lab workers.

But following years of making a financial loss, the US company is set to pull the plug — employing just 20 staff to “supervise” trials elsewhere.

The site has reportedly made repeated financial losses, although Quintiles had a worldwide income of $388 million (£274m) in 2015.

“We always knew we were running a loss but the unit always stayed open. Quintiles kept it open because if you run stage one of a study [the first time drugs are tested on humans], then [drug companies] will probably give you stage two and three,” said the anonymous whistleblower.

The worker said that Quintiles had also held onto the unit because it was prestigious.

“Our unit has 30 years of experience in trials, which does not only reflect on the leadership but also the nursing staff, the labs, the pharmacy and others,” they added.

“Sending all those people away and just keeping a few at the top who will supposedly carry everything over — that won’t make up for everyone on the floor.

“If you do away with that and start new units, you compromise on safety. This is what happens when you run clinical research for profit.

“Even though they make massive profits, when they run a small loss somewhere they don’t care about maintaining experienced staff.”

A spokeswoman for Quintiles said: “We can confirm we are proposing to close our London Phase I unit. It is only a proposal at this time.

“We are currently in the consultation process with our staff in this unit. We cannot comment any further at this time.”

The employee, who did not want to be named, said the company’s plan to close the unit, which is Quintiles’s only base in London, came as a surprise.

“Everyone knows the decision is more or less made,” they said.