A Massachusetts cancer patient has filed a lawsuit against Sanofi, alleging that she has suffered persistent hair loss from Taxotere, the pharmaceutical company’s chemotherapy drug.

The plaintiff, Elizabeth O., began chemotherapy treatment with Taxotere included in her regimen on July 23, 2009, and continued with this drug through October 15 later that year. Hair loss is a common and well-known side effect of chemotherapy treatment, so patients know going into treatment that they will likely lose their hair, a condition known as alopecia.

However, patients generally expect that their hair will grow back after chemotherapy is over. Elizabeth, along with many other cancer patients like her, alleges that she suffered from persistent hair loss from Taxotere, even months and years after being treated with the Sanofi drug.

At the time of this lawsuit, in July 2017—nearly eight years after her Taxotere chemotherapy treatment was over—Elizabeth still suffers from persistent hair loss from Taxotere, she alleges.

The Taxotere hair loss lawsuit was filed on July 21 over persistent hair loss from Taxotere. It was filed on multiple counts, including failure to warn, negligence, negligent and fraudulent misrepresentation, and breach of express warranty.

Taxotere Basics

Taxotere (also known by its generic name docetaxel) is a widely used chemotherapy drug manufactured by Sanofi. Taxotere was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) back in 1996, and remains popular today. Unfortunately, many patients treated with docetaxel drugs like Taxotere are being left with problems growing back their hair such as persistent hair loss from Taxotere.

Persistent Hair Loss from Taxotere

Hair loss, which is also known as alopecia, is a common symptom associated with chemotherapy treatment, and it is certainly the most recognizable of side effects cancer patients are forced to deal with. The vast majority cancer patients go into chemotherapy treatment already aware that they run a risk of losing their hair to alopecia from the treatment, but they generally expect that, after their chemotherapy treatment is over, their hair will eventually grow back.

Unfortunately, a growing number of cancer patients are discovering that this may not be the case, and have been left with persistent hair loss from Taxotere. Some are unable to grow their hair back at all, and others have great difficulty growing their hair back, able to grow only in clumps or patches.

Filing a Lawsuit Over Persistent Hair Loss from Taxotere

If you or someone you love has suffered from persistent hair loss from Taxotere or another docetaxel medication, you may be able to gain some kind of financial compensation by joining a Taxotere lawsuit.

Filing a Taxotere hair loss lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering a cancer patient endures, or take away the effects of persistent hair loss from Taxotere, but it can help compensate for the financial expenses incurred by cancer treatment bills or even lost wages.

The Taxotere Hair Loss Lawsuit is Case No. 2:17-cv-06972, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.