Sanofi Aventis is facing a new Taxotere hair loss lawsuit from a Pennsylvania woman alleging the chemotherapy drug caused her to develop permanent alopecia. Also known as permanent hair loss, alopecia has become associated with Taxotere, a popular breast cancer treatment chemotherapy drug.

Plaintiff Rhonda M. was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2012, and was prescribed Taxotere after discussing different treatment options with her oncologist. According to her Taxotere hair loss lawsuit, Rhonda underwent treatment using the chemotherapy drug from November 2012 through March 2013.

During the treatment process, Rhonda reportedly experienced permanent alopecia and has not had success in growing it back. She claims at no point before or after her Taxotere prescription was she or her oncologist made aware of the alleged association the chemotherapy drug has with permanent alopecia.

There were no warnings or indications on the drug’s label, nor did Sanofi Aventis notify Rhonda in any form at the time of her treatment, the claim states. Rhonda soon discovered the alleged link after the FDA released a public warning in December 2015, warning patients against potentially permanent hair loss.

However, Rhonda and other patients have alleged the company may have known years prior to the FDA release, based on European health officials receiving the warning years earlier.

Overview of Taxotere Hair Loss Association

Taxotere has been on the market since the mid 1990s as a chemotherapy drug for treating breast cancer. Since its approval, Taxotere has been a popular choice as a chemotherapy drug treatment choice for a variety of other cancers as well.

However, Taxotere still remains one of the most popular treatment choices for breast cancer and is used by millions of patients throughout the country. As a chemotherapy drug, Taxotere is given intravenously and only on a strict prescription schedule as required by an oncologist.

Patients who undergo chemotherapy treatment can expect to undergo a number of uncomfortable side effects, with hair loss being one of the most common. This is because chemotherapy works by targeting rapidly reproducing cells, making hair follicles primary targets.

According to the Taxotere label, patients are told that their hair will “generally grow back” after treatment is completed. However, numerous women have reported otherwise, with several recent studies also suggesting the chemotherapy drug can potentially cause permanent hair loss.

One study conducted at the Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers in 2006 found that 6.3% of breast cancer patients grew less than 50% of their hair back after using Taxotere. Even though this side effect can be emotionally devastating for patients, Sanofi Aventis allegedly failed to warn patients against permanent alopecia.

Rhonda states that she never would have used the chemotherapy drug, if she had known the risk of permanent hair loss.

This Taxotere Hair Loss Lawsuit is Case No. 2:17-cv-02072-KDE-MBN, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Louisiana.