A new Sanofi lawsuit alleges that hair loss due to chemo treatment for breast cancer may actually be permanent, as the plaintiff experienced.

The Kentucky plaintiff involved in the lawsuit, Brenda D., began her chemo treatment for breast cancer in 2008, and Sanofi’s breast cancer drug Taxotere was included as part of her regimen. According to the lawsuit, neither Brenda nor her doctor were aware that Taxotere chemo treatment for breast cancercan actually lead to permanent hair loss problems.

It took Brenda until 2016—8 year after her chemo treatment for breast cancer—to realize that the hair that she lost during chemotherapy was not going to grow back. She responded by filing a lawsuit against Sanofi.

The lawsuit was filed on multiple claims, including negligence, design and manufacturing defect, failure to warn, breach of express and warranty, fraudulent misrepresentation and concealment, negligent misrepresentation, fraud and deceit, and others.

Taxotere Background

Taxotere, otherwise known as docetaxel, is a kind of chemo treatment for breast cancer manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis. Taxotere was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1996.

Taxotere fights breast cancer by preventing cancer cells from growing, which prevents the cancer from its ability to quickly spread. However, the same function that prevents the rapid growth of cancer cells may also prevent a patient’s hair from growing back after chemotherapy.

Before its approval in 1996, Taxotere had actually first been recommended for rejection due to high toxicity in 1994.

Lawsuit claim that Sanofi knew of these risks associated with Taxotere, yet continued to market their drug as equally safe and effective as other, similar drugs.

Taxotere Hair Loss

While cancer patients generally expect that chemo treatment for breast cancer may lead to hair loss, the expectation is that their hair will grow back after chemotherapy treatment is over. But according to a growing number of reports and lawsuit, hair loss suffered as a result of Taxotere chemo treatment for breast cancer can be long-lasting or even permanent.

Hair Loss from Chemo Treatment for Breast Cancer

Taxotere lawsuits allege that, despite knowledge of their drug’s connection with permanent chemotherapy hair loss, Sanofi chose to conceal this information from patients and the wider medical community.

Some women who were treated with Taxotere chemo treatment for breast cancer have reported that they were told their hair would grow back after chemotherapy was finished, yet ended up either having major difficulties growing their hair back, taking an especially long time to grow, or even suffering from permanent chemotherapy hair loss.

Taxotere Lawsuits

If you or someone you love has experienced permanent hair loss after chemo treatment for breast cancer, you may be able to gain some kind of compensation through a breast cancer drug lawsuit.

Filing a Taxotere lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering a cancer patient endures, but it can help compensate for the financial expenses incurred by medical bills or even lost wages.

The Permanent Taxotere Hair Loss Lawsuit is Case No. 2:17-cv-00912, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.