Breast cancer drug maker Sanofi Aventis has been slapped with a Taxotere permanent alopecia lawsuit filed by an Minnesota woman who claims the chemotherapy treatment caused her to suffer permanent alopecia.

In May 2008, Plaintiff Robyn H. was diagnosed with Stage IIIA invasive ductal carcinoma breast cancer and underwent six cycles of chemotherapy which included Taxotere.

According to her permanent alopecia lawsuit, Taxotere can cause serious medical problems, including permanent permanent hair loss after breast cancer or alopecia.

While hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy, it is usually temporary. Robyn indicates that Sanofi Aventis provided false and misleading information that suggested hair would regrow following Taxotere chemo treatments.

However, the permanent alopecia lawsuit suggests that the drug makers withheld information about the large number of women who were left with permanent hair loss after breast cancer.

Specifically, Robyn claims that neither she not her healthcare providers were aware of or informed by Sanofi Aventis that permanent alopecia could occur following treatment with Taxotere.

The lawsuit further notes that the manufacturers failed to disclose information about the link between Taxotere and permanent alopecia after breast cancer, providing false and misleading information that suggested hair would regrow following use of the breast cancer drug.

However, in several other countries, Taxotere warnings include information about the permanent alopecia after breast cancer risk. Those same warnings were not provided to users and medical providers in the United States.

As early as 2005, studies have found that women face a substantial risk of permanent hair loss after breast cancer with Taxotere.

These studies include findings that indicate one out of every 10 patients treated with Taxotere suffered hair loss that lasted up to 10 years and five months following chemotherapy, and in some cases longer.

Robyn’s permanent alopecia lawsuit presents claims of failure to warn, negligence and fraud. She is asking the court to award punitive damages, general damages, medical expenses and attorneys’ fees for Sanofi Aventis’ willful and conscious disregard for her safety.

About Taxotere

Taxotere (docetaxel) is a high potency taxane-based cancer drug, which was introduced by Sanofi Aventis in 1996, claiming that it was superior to existing low potency taxanes, such as Taxol.

However, Robyn and other plaintiffs who are pursuing Taxotere permanent alopecia lawsuits allege that the drug is no more effective than earlier treatments, yet carries a risk of permanent hair loss after breast cancer that is not found with other chemotherapy treatments.

“There were already products on the market at least as effective as Taxotere that did not subject users to the same risk of permanent alopecia, but users of Taxotere were not presented with the opportunity to make an informed choice as to whether the benefits of Taxotere were worth its associated risks,” the permanent alopecia lawsuit states.

“Defendants engaged in a pattern of deception by overstating the benefits of Taxotere as compared to other alternatives while simultaneously failing to warn of the risk of permanent alopecia.”

Did You Suffer Permanent Alopecia After Taxotere Treatment?

Women who experience permanent alopecia after breast cancer suffer great mental anguish as well as the economic damages, including loss of work or inability to work due to significant psychological damage.

If you were given Taxotere and experienced permanent hair loss after breast cancer, you may be eligible to receive substantial compensation for the emotional pain and suffering caused by Taxotere side effects by filing a Taxotere permanent alopecia lawsuit.

The Taxotere Permanent Alopecia Lawsuit is Case No. 0:16-cv-03154 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.