Sanofi Aventis is facing a new Taxotere hair loss lawsuit, from an Ohio couple alleging the breast cancer drug had caused the wife to develop alopecia.

The woman claims the company failed to warn her against the possibility of permanent hair loss, and that she never would have used the breast cancer drug if she had known.

Plaintiff couple Christine and Jim K. are filing legal action against Sanofi Aventis, after discovering that permanent hair loss was a significant risk associated with the breast cancer drug.

According to her Taxotere hair loss lawsuit, Christine had been diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2014 and had to undergo aggressive treatment methods to combat the disease. After discussing different chemotherapy options with her oncologist, Christine agreed to use the breast cancer drug Taxotere.

Neither Christine or her physician had been aware of Taxotere’s alleged association with alopecia, at the time this decision was made. Beginning on Jan. 15, 2015, Christine had begun the process of undergoing five chemotherapy cycles and soon began losing her hair.

Chemotherapy works by attacking rapidly reproducing cells, which often means hair follicles are the first to be attacked by the aggressive chemicals. While hair loss is not uncommon in chemotherapy treatments, patients can typically expect their hair to eventually grow back after the hair follicles recover.

Permanent alopecia is not likely to occur, and should be mentioned on the drug’s label. Even though permanent alopecia is a serious side effect, it was not mentioned in correlation with Taxotere until recently.

Overview of Taxotere Hair Loss Allegations

Taxotere was approved to be a breast cancer treatment drug in 1996, but has since been approved to treat other forms of cancer. Taxotere is a part of the taxanes drug family, and these medications are popularly used for chemotherapy treatment drugs.

Even though the Taxotere warning label states that hair “generally grows back,” numerous cancer patients have reported otherwise. Permanent alopecia was not mentioned as potential Taxotere side effect until December 2015, when the FDA ordered a label update.

The agency ordered the new update to mention cases of permanent hair loss in conjunction with the breast cancer drug had been reported. However European health officials had reportedly known the risk for years, but the warning had not been provided to the United States until ordered.

In addition, several studies have found similar results with subjects complaining of Taxotere permanent hair loss. One 2011 study, published in the American Journal of Dermatopathology, had found “increased evidence that certain chemotherapy regimens can cause dose dependent permanent alopecia,” which included Taxotere.

There have been numerous Taxotere hair loss lawsuits alleging the breast cancer drug had caused them permanent alopecia, eventually consolidating into multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 2740). Christine’s lawsuit joins the multidistrict litigation where it will stand alongside other claims alleging similar damages.

This Taxotere Hair Loss Lawsuit is Case No. 2:17-cv-00348-EEF-MBN, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.