A couple has filed a lawsuit against multiple pharmaceutical corporations, alleging that the chemotherapy drug Taxotere caused breast cancer patients to suffer permanent hair loss after being prescribed the drug as part of their breast cancer treatments.

The Taxotere lawsuit names several drug sponsors, manufacturers, labelers, and distributors related to Sanofi-Aventis, the makers and marketers of Taxotere.

Plaintiffs Sarah and Carl M. joined the Taxotere multidistrict litigation due to their claims that Sarah’s breast cancer treatments from Oct. 26, 2012 through Dec. 27, 2012 left her with severe bald spots, loss of her eyebrows and eyelashes, and emotional injuries.

The Taxotere lawsuit asserts that if the plaintiffs had known of the side effects of Taxotere, they would have chosen another treatment option. Plaintiffs claim that the hair loss related to Sarah’s breast cancer treatments has permanently marked her as a cancer survivor, and this has resulted in stigmatization, social isolation, and negative impact to her self-image and personal relationships.

This Taxotere lawsuit alleges that the defendants knew about the possibility of irreversible hair loss associated with the drug Taxotere, but did not mention this risk to patients.

The Taxotere lawsuit states that Sanofi conducted a study on the effects of Taxotere between June 1999 and March 2003. This study showed that 9.2 percent of patients who were prescribed Taxotere as part of their breast cancer treatments experienced persistent hair loss, often for years after taking the drug.

Despite the results of this study, on Nov. 21, 2008, Sanofi reportedly sent a letter to one patient in response to an inquiry regarding hair loss. This letter stated that only “one reference of non-reversible alopecia” had been identified in relation to Taxotere.

Despite countless statements from patients and multiple research articles in medical journals including the British Journal of Dermatology, the American Journal of Dermatopathology, the Annals of Oncology, and the Journal of Clinical Oncology claiming that Taxotere frequently resulted in permanent hair loss, it was not until 2015 that “persistent hair loss” was listed as a side effect of the drug in its Patient Counseling Information.

Overview of Taxotere

After being unanimously denied approval by an FDA advisory committee in 1994, Taxotere was approved for limited use in 1996 for patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancer who had either progressed or relapsed during anthracycline-based therapy. In 1998, this approval was slightly broadened to include patients for whom prior chemotherapy had failed.

Approval was slightly broadened again in 1999 to include patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer who had failed to respond to prior chemotherapy. Until late 2002, Taxotere was only approved as a secondary cancer treatment method, after the failure of previous treatments.

Taxotere Lawsuits

The plaintiffs in this Taxotere lawsuit claim to have suffered serious and lasting injuries, and that their permanent hair loss has lead to extreme mental and psychological anguish and suffering.

For these reasons, the plaintiffs are suing each defendant for compensatory damages, general damages, loss of earnings and impaired earning capacity, medical expenses both past and future, mental and emotional distress, damages for loss of care, comfort, society, and companionship, restitution, disgorgement of profits, attorneys’ fees, costs of suit, pre- and post-judgment interest, and for any further relief the Court may deem just and proper.

The Taxotere Lawsuit is Case No. 2:18-cv-11029-JTM-MBN and is part of the Taxotere MDL, In re: Taxotere (Docetaxel) Products Liability Litigation, Case No. Case 2:16-md-02740-KDE-MBN, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.