The popular leukemia drug Tasigna has, unfortunately, been linked with major complications, including atherosclerosis and peripheral arterial disease. More and more patients are coming forward with allegations that they were not given adequate warning about Tasigna’s risks.

If you or someone you love has suffered from side effects after using this leukemia medication, you may be able to file a Tasigna lawsuit. Consulting a Tasigna lawyer may be able to help you receive compensation for your injuries.

Background of Tasigna

Tasigna (also sold under the generic name nilotinib) is a treatment for leukemia specifically approved to treat chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia cancer. Tasigna is manufactured by Novartis, and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2007. Tasigna is part of a class of drugs known as tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Tasigna is now one of the most widely used cancer drugs available—in fact, in 2016 alone, Tasigna brought in $1.7 billion in sales. Unfortunately, despite its popularity, Tasigna has been associated with some severe complications.

Side Effects of Tasigna

More and more patients are claiming that they were not given adequate warning about the risks of Tasigna, including atherosclerosis. Essentially, when a patient suffers atherosclerosis, their artery walls thicken and plaque builds up, which limits essential blood flow and causes peripheral vascular disease. Peripheral vascular disease, sometimes known as peripheral arterial disease (PAD), can involve symptoms including cramping, pain, or tiredness, as well as difficulty walking or climbing stairs. With rest, the symptoms of peripheral vascular disease often lessen, but physical activity once again sparks these symptoms.

The loss of blood circulation from peripheral vascular disease can become a serious risk, even leading to major cardiovascular issues. In extreme cases, when the artery becomes totally blocked from peripheral vascular disease, patients may suffer from gangrene or require limb amputation. A carotid artery affected by peripheral vascular disease may result in a stroke.

A post-market review from the FDA noted that its findings “strongly suggest an association between nilotinib (Tasigna) and PAOD (peripheral arterial occlusive disease)”. The FDA released its findings in 2013, and as a result, Novartis updated its Black Box warning label for Tasigna to include the risk of peripheral vascular disease. However, the drug had been available for years before this risk was added to the warning label.

Some patients claim that Novartis was aware of the risk of Tasigna side effects, yet failed to warn the public and the medical community about these risks for a substantial period of time.

Consulting a Tasigna Lawyer

If you or someone you love has suffered from Tasigna side effects like peripheral vascular disease or related conditions, you may be able to file a Tasigna lawsuit against Novartis. Consul a Tasigna lawyer to help navigate the complexities of litigation.

Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by these side effects, but it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.