Plaintiff Faith N. a Texas resident, files a new Taxotere side effects lawsuit against Sanofi Aventis, the manufacturers of the chemotherapy drug, in Louisiana federal court.

Faith alleges she suffered permanent hair loss side effects, or alopecia, after taking Taxotere. To treat advanced-stage breast cancer, she took Taxotere (docetaxel) in June 2012 through August 2012, according to the Taxotere side effects lawsuit.

Faith states that she “continues to suffer and will suffer in the future the effects of disfiguring persistent/permanent alopecia as a result of receiving chemotherapy with Taxotere,” the Taxotere side effects lawsuit states.

Faith filed the Taxotere side effects lawsuit on Dec. 6, 2017, and filed the lawsuit on multiple counts including failure to warn, negligence, negligent misrepresentation, fraudulent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, and fraud and deceit.

Taxotere Side Effects Lawsuit Joins MDL

Faith’s claim is filed as part of a large multidistrict litigation, or MDL, centered on allegations that Sanofi-Aventis failed to warn consumers of the risk in developing permanent hair loss with Taxotere use.

There have been nearly 1,600 lawsuits accusing Sanofi of concealing clinical studies linking toxic side effects, including development of alopecia, with the chemotherapy drug.

Taxotere (docetaxel) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2004. Plaintiffs allege that although Taxotere labels in Europe and Canada warned patients there about permanent hair loss risks, patients in the U.S. were left in the dark until 2015.

Taxotere

According to BreastCancer.Org, Taxotere works in combination with other chemotherapy drugs to treat early-stage breast cancer that has spread to lymph nodes after surgery, advanced-stage breast cancer that doesn’t respond to doxorubicin, and advanced-stage breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

Like many other chemotherapy drugs, Taxotere works by preventing cell division and multiplication. Cancer cells may continue dividing out of control, whereas normal healthy cells can stop their cell division when they are surrounded by similar cells.

In addition to permanent hair loss, there are a number of side effects reported with Taxotere. Although many side effects are reversible, some complications may result in death. These side effects include infections, fatigue and weakness, diarrhea, nausea, muscle, joint or bone pain, and peripheral neuropathy.

Taxotere Links to Permanent Hair Loss

The devastating side effect reported in many Taxotere lawsuits is permanent hair loss. There are studies showing a link between Taxotere and permanent, irreversible alopecia, in which all body hair is affected, including eyelashes and eyebrows.

A study published in the Annals of Oncology in 2012, followed 20 white caucasian women treated for breast cancer by Taxotere. The study found that 19 of the 20 women suffered permanent hair loss, including losing eyelash and eyebrow hair.

Results stated that “no spontaneous regrowth of the scalp hair was noted. Treatment including vitamins … proved to be ineffective.”

According to the study, one patient who was treated for reoccurring breast cancer was also being treated using a different chemotherapy medication. The study found that although she had complete hair regrowth of taking the chemotherapy drug, once she began taking Taxotere she then suffered permanent hair loss effects.

The Taxotere Side Effects Lawsuit is Case No. 2:17-cv-15057, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The Taxotere MDL is In re: Taxotere (Docetaxel) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2740, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.