Suit Says Washington Woman Developed Multiple Sclerosis While Taking Enbrel

MINNEAPOLIS - A woman who claims she developed multiple sclerosis while taking Enbrel as part of a clinical study has sued the company's manufacturer and promoters of the drug in federal court, claiming the companies downplayed the potential dangers of the drug. Sagen-Hughes v. Amgen, Inc., et al., No. 04-4392 (D. Minn.).

In a lawsuit filed Oct. 8 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, Laura Sagen-Hughes alleges that Enbrel manufacturer Immunex, which sponsored the study, failed to advise her to stop using Enbrel and withdraw from the study after she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis …