Roden Law’s class action attorneys are investigating claims on behalf of breast cancer patients who took the chemotherapy drug Taxotere and suffered permanent hair loss.
Many breast cancer patients claim that Taxotere’s manufacturer failed to clearly disclose permanent hair loss as a possible side effect. At Roden Law, our defective drug attorneys believe pharmaceutical manufacturers have a duty to provide patients with safe and reliable medications. When a corporation fails to uphold this obligation and harms or disfigures patients, it deserves to be held liable for its negligence.
If you suffered permanent hair loss after taking Taxotere, do not hesitate to contact us for a free, no obligation consultation to discuss filing a Taxotere lawsuit. Our accomplished personal injury firm is dedicated to protecting the rights of victims and consumers. We have recovered millions in verdicts and settlements for our clients and have the skills and resources you need to represent your claim against a large corporation. All of our services are provided on a contingency fee basis, at no upfront cost. The only time we require payment is if we recover compensation for your claim. There is no risk in contacting us to find out if you are entitled to file a Taxotere lawsuit.
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What is Taxotere?
Taxotere is a chemotherapy medication manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis, a French multi-national pharmaceutical corporation. The drug is commonly used to treat breast cancer and certain types of other cancers in the head, neck, lungs, prostate and gastrointestinal system.
Taxotere was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1999 to treat patients with certain types of lung cancers. Taxotere is designed to prevent cancer cells from dividing and spreading by causing the structure of cancer cells to stiffen. In 2004, the FDA approved Taxotere to treat patients with advanced and metastasized breast cancer.
Patients receive Taxotere intravenously, usually during one-hour infusion treatment sessions that are repeated every three to four weeks. The drug was initially marketed as a more effective and convenient alternative to other chemotherapy medications that require weekly treatment sessions.
Because Taxotere reduces the amount and frequency of chemotherapy doses, many breast cancer patients are quick to accept it over similar medications. Taxotere is often used in combination with other drugs to reduce its side effects. However, despite being diluted, Taxotere still places many patients at risk of suffering serious side effects.
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Taxotere Found to Cause Permanent Hair Loss
Hair loss is a commonly known side effect of most chemotherapy drugs that occurs approximately 10 to 14 days after the first treatment session. Many patients begin to regrow their hair two to three weeks after chemotherapy treatment ends and fully regrow their hair three to six months after treatment.
However, unlike other chemotherapy drugs, Taxotere has been found to cause patients to suffer permanent hair loss, a condition known as alopecia universalis. This condition is an advanced form of alopecia that results in complete loss of hair across the entire scalp, face and the rest of the body.
In 1998, Sanofi-Aventis funded a five-year study where researchers followed more than 1,000 women with breast cancer who used Taxotere. The study was intended to test the long-term effects of Taxotere and the survival rate of patients who used this drug for chemotherapy treatment. However, researchers discovered that 9.2 percent of breast cancer patients who use Taxotere suffered permanent hair loss that lasted 10 years or longer.
In a 2006 study, researchers found that 6.3 percent of breast cancer patients grew back less than 50 percent of their hair after they were treated with Taxotere in combination with other chemotherapy drugs, such as Adriamycin and Cytoxan, according to the Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers.
Additionally, a study published in 2010 by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology warned about a growing number of reports of alopecia caused by chemotherapy drugs, including Taxotere.
Furthermore, in a 2012 study published in the Annals of Oncology, researchers found that 19 of the 20 women included in the study who took Taxotere between 2007 and 2011 suffered permanent hair loss, including eyebrow and eyelash loss.
Despite the growing research, many patients claim that they had not been informed taking Taxotere could put them at risk of developing alopecia.
To find out if you have a case, call 1-844-RESULTS.
Sanofi Failed to Warn Patients Taxotere Causes Permanent Hair Loss
Many Taxotere lawsuits claim Sanofi-Aventis warned patients outside of the U.S. about the side effects as much as a decade earlier.
Taxotere was first released into European markets as early as 1996. After several breast cancer patients who suffered alopecia connected their diagnosis to Taxotere, Sanofi issued warnings about the side effect to European patients in 2005.
Additionally, Health Canada was alerted by Sanofi-Aventis in 2012 about the risk of permanent hair loss that may occur after taking Taxotere. Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail reported three women filed complaints about alopecia to Health Canada in 2010 and contacted Sanofi-Aventis about why it had not disclosed Taxotere’s risk of permanent hair loss.
Nevertheless, Sanofi-Aventis waited nearly a decade to inform consumers in the U.S. that Taxotere may cause patients to suffer permanent hair loss.
In 2009, the FDA issued a warning letter to Sanofi-Aventis saying the company’s promotional materials were false and misleading. The letter stated that Sanof-Aventis’s claim that Taxotere was superior and safer than other chemotherapy drugs was unproven.
In 2015, the FDA updated its Safety Information page to include reports of patients suffering alopecia after taking Taxotere.
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Symptoms of Alopecia Universalis
If you were prescribed Taxotere and your hair did not grown back within the usual timeframe of about three to six months after stopping treatment, you may suffer permanent hair loss. The symptoms of alopecia are:
- Absence of hair on all areas of the body
- Baldness
- Lack of eyelashes
- Lack of eyebrows
If you believe you are suffering permanent hair loss as a result of chemotherapy treatment, you should immediately consult with a physician to determine if you are suffering alopecia universalis.
If your physician finds that your permanent hair loss is a result of taking Taxotere, do not hesitate to contact our defective drug attorneys for a free consultation. We will help you determine if you can file a Taxotere lawsuit against Sanofi-Aventis for compensation.
Call 1-844-RESULTS to schedule a free consultation.
Contact Us to Discuss Filing a Taxotere Lawsuit
If you or someone you love has been treated with Taxotere after being diagnosed with breast cancer and have experienced permanent hair loss, you may have a case that entitles you to compensation.
The defective drug lawyers at Roden Law are committed to helping victims of corporate negligence and will not hesitate to hold negligent pharmaceutical companies liable for the pain and suffering they cause.
To find out if you have a case against Sanofi-Aventis, contact our class action attorneys for a free, no obligation consultation. We will discuss your chemotherapy treatment and hair loss to determine if you are entitled to file a Taxotere lawsuit.