Sanofi Aventis is facing a growing multidistrict litigation (MDL) consisting of Taxotere lawsuits, filed by patients alleging they developed permanent hair loss after breast cancer chemotherapy.

One of the most recent claims was filed by a woman from Alabama, alleging she developed alopecia during the course of her breast cancer chemotherapy using Taxotere.

Plaintiff Jeannie F. opted to file legal action against the pharmaceutical company, after discovering other patients had allegedly developed alopecia after undergoing breast cancer chemotherapy using Taxotere.

Taxotere (docetaxel) is a popular breast cancer chemotherapy drug commonly prescribed in the United States and has been around since the 1990s. While this drug is approved to treat other cancer, breast cancer chemotherapy remains its most prominent use.

Like many other women, Jeannie says she was diagnosed with breast cancer and was prescribed Taxotere chemotherapy by her oncologist. She says her oncologist recommended this treatment course after reviewing the marketing materials and product information provided by Sanofi, which stated that patients’ hair “generally” grows back if they lose it during breast cancer chemotherapy.

This was allegedly not the cace for Jeannie, who claims she has been unable to regrow her hair since her Taxotere chemotherapy period. During all times relevant, Jeannie says her use of Taxotere didn’t deviate from the manufacturer’s instructions.

Jeannie claims Sanofi either knew or should have known about permanent hair loss is a potential risk when using Taxotere for breast cancer chemotherapy.

Overview of Taxotere Breast Cancer Chemotherapy Hair Loss

Breast cancer chemotherapy hair loss is fairly common in cancer patients, due to the treatment mechanism of the process. Chemotherapy works by attacking rapidly reproducing cells in the body and inhibits their reproduction, with hair follicles often among the first cell groups targeted.

This causes significant, partial, or total hair loss, which typically grows back sometime after the chemotherapy is over. Permanent hair loss is much rarer and should be mentioned on a chemotherapy drug’s warning label if it has been indicated to cause it.

Taxotere has been indicated in several studies over the years, including one inquiry from Dr. Scot Sedlacek of the Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers in Colorado, who found that 6.3 percent of breast cancer patients grew back less than 50 percent of their hair if they were prescribed Taxotere.

It has been alleged that Sanofi Aventis knew about potentially permanent chemotherapy hair loss for years, based on the fact that European labels received the update years earlier.

The FDA recently issued a public warning against breast cancer chemotherapy hair loss in December 2015, in which the agency stated that Taxotere could cause permanent alopecia. Jeannie states she would not have agreed to undergo breast cancer chemotherapy using Taxotere if she had known the risk of permanent alopecia.

Jeannie’s Taxotere lawsuit is joining MDL No. 2740, where it will stand alongside other claims alleging similar injuries. By joining an MDL, Jeannie’s claim will be streamlined through the litigation process and will avoid potential problems like conflicting rulings from different judges.

Jeannie is seeking a number of damages in her claim, including counts of negligence and failure to warn.

This Breast Cancer Chemotherapy Lawsuit is Case No. 2:18-cv-07103-JTM-MBN, in the U.S. District Court of Eastern Louisiana.