Sanofi Aventis is facing a new Taxotere hair loss suit which will be added to the growing multidistrict litigation (MDL) facing the company. Each of the claims consist of similar allegations, and each states the plaintiffs’ permanent hair loss was allegedly caused by the chemotherapy agent.

This Taxotere hair loss suit is being placed in MDL No. 2740 and is being filed by a Missouri woman. Plaintiff Mary T. is filing the Taxotere hair loss suit after allegedly developing permanent hair loss due to being prescribed Taxotere.

After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Mary says, she was prescribed Taxotere in October 2008. Mary and her physician discussed different treatment options for her and had opted for Taxotere after concluding it was the best choice.

Mary says that at no point before or after starting her Taxotere prescription were she or her oncologist warned of permanent hair loss or alopecia. From October 2008 to January 2009, Mary underwent Taxotere chemotherapy treatment and experienced permanent hair loss.

While hair loss can typically be expected during chemotherapy treatment, permanent hair loss is fairly unusual. Mary argues the drug’s manufacturers should warn patients about this extraordinary side effect. Mary says that if either she or her oncologist had known the risk of permanent hair loss, then they never would have opted for Taxotere.

Mary is filing this Taxotere hair loss suit after discovering Sanofi Aventis may have been aware of the permanent hair loss risk for years.

Overview of Taxotere Hair Loss

Taxotere has been on the market since the 1990s and has been frequently used for breast cancer treatment for decades. Since its release, Taxotere has also been approved to treat other cancer varieties, helping millions of patients throughout the United States.

Like other chemotherapy drugs, Taxotere is administered on a strict schedule and can typically cause a number of uncontrollable side effects for patients. Due to the treatment mechanism of chemotherapy drugs working by attacking rapidly reproducing cells, hair loss can typically be expected.

Permanent hair loss is rare, and Sanofi Aventis previously stated that Taxotere hair loss will “typically grow back.” However, the risk of permanent Taxotere hair loss became public knowledge after the FDA announced a label change for Taxotere in December 2015.

The FDA initiated this warning after cases of permanent hair loss were reported. Allegations of negligence began soon after, with patients alleging Sanofi Aventis knowing of the risk years before. This was evidenced by the fact that European Taxotere warning labels were updated to include permanent hair loss, years earlier.

Mary and numerous other patients state that they never would have taken Taxotere if they had known the risk of permanent hair loss. Mary is filing her Taxotere hair loss suit alongside similar claims which will help streamline the litigation movement.

This Taxotere Hair Loss Suit is Case No. 2:17-cv-02008-KDE-MBN, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.