Patients may be able to contact a Tasigna lawyer to file a lawsuit if they developed cardiovascular side effects such as atherosclerosis, a condition involving the hardening of the arteries.

Tasigna (nilotinib) is a chemotherapy drug commonly used for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia, although the drug can be used for the treatment of other cancers. Novartis developed Tasigna and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug for use in 2007.

Tasigna has been widely successful since its approval and, in 2017 alone, made over $1.7 million in worldwide sales. However, the success may come at a cost. Studies suggest that Tasigna may contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a cardiovascular condition involving the buildup of plaque in the arteries. This plague buildup leads to a narrowing and hardening of the arteries over time, which can cause a wide variety of further cardiovascular complications. Potential complications arising from atherosclerosis include coronary heart disease, peripheral artery disease, chronic kidney disease and more.

Over a dozen scientific studies have linked Tasigna with atherosclerosis, with the first study published in 2011. This study found that 25% of patients treated with Tasigna ended up experiencing cardiovascular complications after treatment.

In 2013, the FDA released a post market review of Tasigna side effects supporting the link between the drug and atherosclerosis. The review analyzed data from reports in the United States as well as research data from the United States, Canada and Europe.

The FDA review stated that findings “strongly suggest an association between nilotinib (Tasigna) and PAOD (peripheral arterial occlusive disease).” After the review was released, a new cardiovascular warning was added to the Tasigna label in order to warn consumers about the risk for atherosclerosis.

Novartis now faces numerous lawsuits from patients who contacted a Tasigna lawyer to bring their claims to court. Plaintiffs in these cases often claim that Novartis knew or should have known about the risks associated with Tasigna treatment, but chose not to warn consumers in order to protect their substantial profit from the drug.

Heart conditions associated with Tasigna often require regular monitoring and treatment in order to ensure long term health. Some patients have contacted a Tasigna lawyer and now make claims in a lawsuit that they were not sufficiently warned of the risks associated with the chemotherapy drug which impacted their ability to monitor for cardiovascular side effects.

They argue that, if they had been warned, they could have made an informed choice about being treated with the drug and could have better monitored their cardiac health for conditions such as atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, peripheral artery disease and more.

If you or a loved one developed cardiovascular side effects after being treated with Tasigna, you may be able to contact a qualified Tasigna lawyer for a case evaluation. A Tasigna lawyer can review the facts of your case and can potentially help you file a lawsuit against the drug’s manufacturers.

A Tasigna lawsuit could help recover compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, wrongful death and more.