Amanda Antell  |  September 18, 2017

Category: Legal News

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Taxotere permanent hair loss cancer patient doctorSanofi Aventis is facing a growing multidistrict litigation (MDL) alleging unexpected breast cancer drug side effects related to chemotherapy drug Taxotere (docetaxel).

One of the most recent Taxotere lawsuits comes from a Florida woman, alleging she developed permanent hair loss after treatment with Taxotere. Plaintiff Joanna D. alleges the breast cancer drug side effects had caused her to develop at least partial permanent hair loss, and she has been unable to regrow her hair.

Joanna had been prescribed Taxotere chemotherapy treatment soon after being diagnosed with breast cancer, and discussing different treatment options with her oncologist. Taxotere is a popular chemotherapy drug that has been on the market since the mid 1990s, most often used for breast cancer treatment.

According to her Taxotere lawsuit, Joanna had undergone Taxotere chemotherapy treatment from Sept. 6, 2011 through Dec. 22, 2011. During this time, Joanna had developed hair loss and was led to believe that her hair would eventually grow back.

The Taxotere warning label states that hair loss “generally grows back” after treatment is completed, but numerous injury reports have indicated otherwise.

Overview of Taxotere Hair Loss Complications

In December 2015, the FDA issued a label change on Taxotere’s warning label to include potential permanent hair loss, or alopecia. The agency issued this order after receiving numerous reports of this complication in correlation with breast cancer drug side effects.

There have been several studies indicating permanent baldness could be one of the breast cancer drug side effects of Taxotere. A 2006 study indicated 6.3% of Taxotere breast cancer patients grew back less than 50% of their hair.

Similar to other chemotherapy drugs, Taxotere works by targeting rapidly growing cells inside the human body. This makes hair follicles primary targets for chemotherapy drugs to attack, ultimately causing hair loss. While hair loss is common during chemotherapy treatment, patients can typically expect their hair to generally grow back. However, this has allegedly not been the case for many Taxotere patients.

Joanna is one of these patients, claiming that she had developed permanent alopecia as a result of breast cancer drug side effects. At all times relevant, Joanna says she used Taxotere for its intended purpose and did not deviate from physician’s advice. In addition, Joanna had only taken the drug during the scheduled chemotherapy treatment.

Joanna claims that Sanofi Aventis either knew or should have known about the possibility of permanent alopecia and failed to adequately warn the public. It has been alleged that Sanofi Aventis knew about potential Taoxtere permanent hair loss for years before the FDA issued the label change. Plaintiffs point out that the European label for Taxotere bore a warning about permanent hair loss years before the U.S. label did.

Joanna states she never would have used Taxotere if she had known about breast cancer drug side effects. Her Taxotere lawsuit is joining MDL No. 2740, where it will stand alongside other claims alleging similar injuries from breast cancer drug side effects. By joining up with an MDL, Joanna’s Taxotere lawsuit will be streamlined through the litigation process and avoid complications like conflicting rulings from different judges.

This Taxotere Lawsuit is Case No. 2:17-cv-08366-KDE-MBN, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or Taxotere class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, Taxotere lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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If you received intravenous chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer and were told that your hair would grow back but it never did, you may have a legal claim. Permanent hair loss is defined as a minimum of 6 months after the Taxotere chemotherapy treatment ended, and there is still no new hair growth. Join this free Taxotere class action lawsuit investigation now!

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