Spotlight: Nader Faults Amgen on Drug Research

Consumer activist Ralph Nader lashed out at Thousand Oaks-based Amgen Inc., saying it’s suppressing research that could improve its top-selling drug, Epogen, because it would hurt sales. In letters to President Clinton and Amgen executives, Nader charged that the company failed to support research that could improve Epogen’s effectiveness. Epogen is used to treat anemia in patients with kidney failure. It generates $1 billion in annual sales. An Amgen spokesman declined to comment.