A Taxotere hair loss lawsuit has been filed against Sanofi alleging that the chemotherapy drug causes permanent hair loss.

Plaintiff Candyse J. recently filed her Taxotere hair loss lawsuitagainst Sanofi, Aventis Pharma, and more, alleging that their chemotherapy product causes hair loss.

Candyse says she is a breast cancer survivor who was treated with Taxotere during her chemotherapy process. In 2007, she alleges she was diagnosed with stage 2 invasive cancer. From August 2007 to March 2008, Candyse says she underwent intensive chemotherapy treatment including Taxotere.

The plaintiff alleges that during her treatment, her hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows all fell out and have not grown back even after treatment from a professional. Candyse argues that she was not warned that permanent hair loss was a possible side effect of her treatment.

Taxotere is a chemotherapy drug commonly used to treat breast cancer, although it can be used to treat other cancers. The drug is part of a family known as taxanes, which are widely used chemotherapy agents derived from yew plants. Taxotere was approved in 1996 for use in patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer. It later gained approval for additional indications.

By nature, chemotherapy agents target fast growing cells to inhibit the spread and regeneration of cancer cells. However, hair follicles are one of the fastest growing healthy cells in the body and they are often targeted by chemotherapy treatment due to their rapid regeneration rate. This mechanism results in the common temporary side effect of hair loss in cancer patients. However, in some cases hair loss is permanent.

In her Taxotere hair loss lawsuit, Candyse argues that permanent hair loss can be incredibly damaging to women. Healthy hair is widely acknowledged as a characteristic of beauty and Candyse argues that permanent hair loss can seriously and irrevocably damage a woman’s self-esteem. Additionally, hair loss is universally associated with cancer, meaning that women who permanently lose their hair can never escape the reminder and stigma of their cancer experience.

The Taxotere hair loss lawsuit alleges that permanent hair loss is a side effect of Taxotere that was not disclosed to patients or healthcare providers at the time of Candyse’s treatment. “Defendants knew or should have known that the rate of permanent alopecia related to Taxotere was far greater than with other products available to treat the same condition,” the Taxotere hair loss lawsuit states.

Allegedly, Sanofi did not change the Taxotere warning information to include permanent hair loss until December 2015, long after Candyse permanently lost her hair. Candyse argues that Sanofi should have included a warning for patients and physicians, so the risks were known and could be weighed when making a treatment plan.

Candyse accuses Sanofi of negligence, strict liability – failure to warn, fraudulent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, strict liability – misrepresentation, fraud and deceit, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The Taxotere hair loss lawsuit seeks a trial by jury, damages, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

The Taxotere Hair Loss Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-01622-EDL in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.