A woman has filed a breast cancer treatment side effects lawsuit against the manufacturers of Taxotere (docetaxel), Sanofi Aventis, alleging she suffered permanent and irreversible hair loss side effects.

Plaintiff Jennafer W. filed the breast cancer treatment side effects lawsuit in a federal court in California. Jennafer says she suffered permanent hair loss after undergoing chemotherapy with Taxotere.

She alleges she was never warned and was “wholly unprepared” for the hair loss she now suffers from because of Taxotere. She also states that if she knew “that permanent hair loss could result, she would have selected a different treatment option …”

Accusations against Sanofi made by Jennafer say the company failed and continues to fail in warning patients of permanent and irreversible hair loss side effects linked to Taxotere. Jennafer says that she seeks to recover for mental and physical anguish she suffered because of her permanent and irreversible hair loss.

Jennafer says that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2014. During that time, she met with her oncologist to discuss her treatment options. She underwent chemotherapy between May 2015 and July 2015. She claims neither she nor her healthcare providers were warned of possible disfiguring permanent hair loss that occurs following Taxotere treatment.

The breast cancer treatment side effects lawsuit was filed on multiple counts including negligence, failure to warn, fraudulent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, negligent misrepresentation, and fraud and deceit.

Jennafer demands a trial by jury.

Taxotere Overview

Thousands of women have filed lawsuits against Taxotere’s manufacturer in a growing multidistrict litigation (MDL) against the company for adverse side effects they say they were never warned about, such as permanent and irreversible alopecia, also known as permanent hair loss.

Taxotere was approved by the FDA in 1996. The drug is frequently used to treat breast cancer, and it may also be prescribed for a variety of other cancers including head and neck cancer, metastatic prostate cancer, and advanced stage stomach cancer.

In addition to adverse permanent and irreversible alopecia, Taxotere is known to cause many other side effects such as mouth or throat sores, constipation, infection, bone or muscle pain, and low red blood cell count (anemia).

Although cancer patients generally understand that hair loss is a normal adverse side effect to chemotherapy, many women have been unaware that they could permanently lose all of their hair.

Patients in the Taxotere MDL state that Sanofi knew all along or should have known that permanent alopecia may result from Taxotere use. The accusations purport that the company failed to disclose the information to patients and medical providers.

The Breast Cancer Treatment Side Effects Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-00738-MEJ, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The Taxotere MDL is In re: Taxotere (Docetaxel) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2740, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.