The leukemia medicine Tasigna, first introduced back in 2007, has unfortunately been linked with an increased risk of a condition known as peripheral vascular disease. If you or someone you love has suffered from peripheral vascular disease or other side effects after treatment with Tasigna, you may have a legal claim.

Basics of Tasigna

Tasigna (also sold under the generic name nilotinib) is a treatment for leukemia specifically approved to treat chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia cancer. Tasigna is manufactured by Novartis, and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2007.

In the years after its approval, Tasigna has gradually become a more popular leukemia treatment, and is now one of the most widely used cancer drugs available. Indeed, in 2016 alone, Tasigna was worth $1.7 billion in sales.

Side Effects of Tasigna Include Peripheral Vascular Disease

While any medication will come with certain side effects, and cancer treatments are no exception, information about complications should be included in warnings and the patients made aware of the risks. However, some patients claim that they were not given adequate warning about the risks of Tasigna, including peripheral vascular disease.

Essentially, when a patient suffers from peripheral vascular disease, their artery walls thicken and plaque builds up, limiting essential blood flow. Peripheral vascular disease, sometimes known as peripheral arterial disease (PAD), can result in symptoms including cramping, pain, or tiredness. Patients suffering from peripheral vascular disease may find that they have difficulty walking or climbing stairs. With rest, the symptoms of peripheral vascular disease often lessen, but then increase with physical activity.

The loss of blood circulation can become a serious risk and can lead to life-threatening complications like blood clots. In extreme cases, when the artery becomes totally blocked from peripheral vascular disease, patients may suffer from gangrene or require limb amputation. A carotid artery affected by peripheral vascular disease may lead to a stroke.

Indeed, studies have found a connection between Tasigna and peripheral vascular disease. A post market review from the FDA noted that its findings “strongly suggest an association between nilotinib (Tasigna) and PAOD (peripheral arterial occlusive disease)”.

The FDA’s findings were released in 2013, which led to Novartis updating Tasigna’s Black Box label to include the risk of Tasigna peripheral vascular disease.

Filing a Tasigna Lawsuit

Some patients claim that Novartis was aware of the risk of Tasigna peripheral vascular disease far before they updated the medication’s Black Box warning, yet failed to warn the public and the medical community about these risks for a substantial period of time.

If you or someone you love has suffered from Tasigna side effects like peripheral vascular disease or related conditions, you may be able to file a Tasigna lawsuit against Novartis. Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by these side effects, but it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.