An Indiana cancer patient has filed a new lawsuit against Sanofi Aventis, alleging that she continues to suffer from persistent hair loss after chemo ended.

The plaintiff, Rose M., says she began treatment with chemotherapy for her cancer in February 2013, and continued this treatment for a few months until June 2013. While Rose was aware of the risk of hair loss caused by chemotherapy cancer treatment, she expected that her hair would go back after treatment was over.

However, Rose says she continues to suffer from persistent hair loss after chemo to this day—nearly five years after the fact. According to Rose’s lawsuit, she should have been warned about the risk of suffering persistent hair loss after chemo before she underwent treatment.

Since Rose isn’t sure which chemotherapy treatment was used (Taxotere or another brand), the lawsuit is filed against a number of brand name drug manufacturers as well as Sanofi Aventis, Taxotere’s manufacturer.

Rose filed her chemotherapy hair loss lawsuit on Feb. 6, 2018, in a Louisiana federal court. The lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including failure to warn, negligence, fraudulent misrepresentation and concealment, and others.

Rose’s lawsuit adds to the growing pile of litigation over persistent hair loss after chemo as patients begin to realize their hair loss is far more permanent than they feared, a condition known as alopecia.

What is Taxotere?

Taxotere (also known by its generic name, docetaxel) is a widely used chemotherapy drug manufactured by pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Aventis. Since Taxotere’s approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) back in 1996, it has become one of the more popular chemotherapy drugs available on the market today.

However, more and more patients are coming forward with allegations that Taxotere carries a higher risk of persistent hair loss after chemo than other options, and that they were not adequately warned about this risk.

Persistent Hair Loss After Chemo

Hair loss is a common symptom associated with chemotherapy treatment—and indeed, the majority of cancer patients go into treatment aware that they will likely lose their hair. However, patients expect that their hair will grow back once treatment with chemo is over. Unfortunately, a growing number of cancer patients like Rose, especially those who used Taxotere, are finding their persistent hair loss after chemo to be more permanent in nature.

If you or someone you love has suffered from persistent hair loss after chemo with a docetaxel medication, you may be able to file or join a Taxotere lawsuit.

Filing a Taxotere lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering a cancer patient endures, or take away the effects of persistent hair loss after chemo, but it can help compensate for the financial expenses incurred by cancer treatment bills or even lost wages.

The Persistent Hair Loss After Chemo Lawsuit is Case No. 2:18-cv-01194-KDE-MBN, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.