Plaintiff Pamela W. is a resident of the State of Louisiana and she is bald. Pamela has a condition that she says is secondary to her treatment with Taxotere ─ a medication prescribed for breast cancer treatment also known as docetaxel.  This condition is known as alopecia and, in her case, she believes it is permanent.

Pamela W. added her permanent alopecia complaints and request for trial by jury to current multidistrict legislation (MDL) previously filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana – against the developers, manufacturers, sponsors, and distributors of breast cancer treatment drug, Taxotere, on March 31, 2017.

The defendants named in MDL include:

• Sanofi-Aventis U.S. LLC
• Sanofi S.A.
• Aventis Pharma S.A.
• Sanofi US Services Inc. formerly known as (fka) Sanofi-Aventis U.S. Inc.
• Sandoz Inc.
• Pfizer Inc.
• Sun Pharma Global Inc.
• Hospira Worldwide Inc.
• Accord Healthcare Inc.
• McKesson Corporation doing business as (dba) McKesson Packaging
• Actavis Pharma Inc.

Pamela W. brings eight counts against the defendants as listed in the MDL including negligent misrepresentation, fraudulent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, fraud and deceit, breach of express warranty, strict products liability – failure to warn, strict products liability for misrepresentation, and negligence.

What is Alopecia?

The symptom of losing hair as a byproduct of chemotherapy drugs killing fast growing cells like hair and rapidly reproducing cancers is well known and common. It is usually a temporary situation which ends with the end of cancer treatment.

Alopecia is an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the hair follicles responsible for hair growth.

In an otherwise healthy individual, the hair would fall out in periodic bunches during chemo treatment.  It could also be a temporary ailment brought on by underlying conditions or severe stress. The condition often resolves within a few months. But this is not the case with Taxotere use.

Permanent alopecia has been associated with the use of Taxotere when used in combination with other breast cancer treatment drugs in a cocktail formulation.

After treatment with Taxotere, patients’ hair fell out as was the usual expectation with cancer treatment, but when chemotherapy was concluded and a reasonable amount of time lapsed, hair growth did not reoccur.

The Plaintiff Suffers

Pamela W. had last been administered Taxoterein 2007 as part of her treatment regimen. She says her hair loss is permanent and, she alleges as part of MDL, caused her great mental anguish and psychological damage because of disfigurement.

Pamela W. says her mental anguish has caused economic problems by interfering with her ability to get and maintain gainful employment. The pursuit of potential treatments for her condition over the years have also incurred monetary loss.

According to the master complaint for the MDL, the defendants as identified knew or should have known about the risks and side effects of their product before bringing it to the market.

Pamela W. and other plaintiffs believe the Taxotere developers, manufacturers, sponsors and distributors willfully concealed vital information regarding risks in an effort to keep the breast cancer treatment drug securing profits.