Sanofi Aventis is facing a new Taxotere breast cancer drug lawsuit, which has joined the multidistrict litigation (MDL) alleging permanent hair loss.

This new Taxotere breast cancer drug lawsuit is being filed by a Tennessee woman, alleging the chemotherapy drug has caused her to develop permanent alopecia.

Plaintiff Tabatha M. opted to file her Taxotere breast cancer drug lawsuit after discovering numerous other women may have also experienced permanent hair loss. Tabatha was prescribed Taxotere in 2010, not long after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

She agreed to the strict treatment regimen after discussing different options with her oncologist. At all times relevant, Tabitha had only used the drug during chemotherapy treatments and did not use it for any other purpose.

During her time on Taxotere chemotherapy treatment, Tabitha experienced significant alopeica and was told her hair would grow back from Taxotere’s warning label. More specifically, she says, the warning label stated that  hair “generally grows back” and does not detail any risks of potential alopecia.

Overview of Taxotere Hair Loss Correlation

Taxotere is a popular chemotherapy treatment drug that is commonly used for breast cancer treatment, as well as other cancers. This drug works by targeting and destroying rapidly reproducing cells, making cancer cells the primary targets.

However, this treatment mechanism also targets other rapidly producing cells, with hair follicles being one of the first cell groups to be attacked. While hair loss is a fairly common side effect in chemotherapy treatment, patients can typically expect their hair to eventually grow back.

Permanent hair loss is significantly rarer in chemotherapy side effects, and is not normally a worry for cancer patients. However, numerous Taxotere patients have been allegedly developing permanent alopecia as a result of the chemotherapy medication.

Taxotere has been linked to permanent hair loss for years, with one of the first studies conducted in 2006 by researchers of the Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers in Denver, Colorado. This study was led by Dr. Scot Sedlacek, with him and his team finding that 6.3% of breast cancer patients grew back less than 50% of their hair after being prescribed Taxotere.

Taxotere alopecia became the subject of concern for the American medical community after the FDA released a warning in December 2015. Sanofi Aventis allegedly knew about this correlation for years based on the fact that European warning labels showed a warning about this risk years earlier.

This has resulted in a consolidated MDL, and numerous individuals filing their own Taxotere breast cancer drug lawsuit. Tabatha is filing her Taxotere breast cancer drug lawsuit in MDL No. 2740, where it will stand alongside other claims alleging similar injuries.

Tabatha alleges the drug was directly responsible for her alopecia and disfigurement, and would not have used the medication if she had known about its potential side effects. Furthermore, Tabatha alleges Sanofi Aventis either knew or should have known that Taxotere could cause permanent alopecia.

This Taxotere Breast Cancer Drug Lawsuit is Case No. 2:17-cv-07652-KDE-MBN, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.