An Arkansas Taxotere hair loss lawsuit may be an option for chemotherapy patients who took Taxotere and suffered permanent hair loss. Taxotere is a type of chemotherapy treatment used to treat breast, lung, prostate, and head and neck cancer. Although side effects of some chemotherapy treatments include temporary hair loss, Taxotere has been linked to permanent hair loss. Affected patients and their families may be eligible to seek compensation for damages with the help of an Arkansas Taxotere lawsuit attorney.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Arkansas today. Our consultations are free, confidential and without any obligation on your part. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is Taxotere?
Taxotere is a type of chemotherapy medication usually given to treat various stages of breast cancer. Taxotere may also be used to treat other forms of cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer, hormone refractory prostate cancer, stomach cancer, and head and neck cancer. Taxotere may be used on its own or in combination with other forms of chemotherapy to treat these types of cancers.
How Does Taxotere Work?
Taxotere is an injected chemotherapy treatment. Its active ingredients are known as taxanes (compounds extracted from yew trees) and work by stopping cancerous cells from dividing and multiplying.
Taxotere and Permanent Hair Loss
Like many chemotherapy treatments, Taxotere affects normal, healthy cells as well as cancerous ones. Treatments may affect rapidly-growing cells such as those found in hair follicles and result temporary alopecia, or hair loss. According to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) update of safety information, cases of permanent hair loss have been reported.
In a study published in the medical journal Annals of Oncology, 20 women who were treated with Taxotere developed permanent alopecia diagnosed between 2007 and 2011. The study noted that although some hair regrowth occurred within four to six weeks after treatment, the rate of growth was clearly incomplete.
Taxotere Hair Loss Lawsuit Claims
A lawsuit filed in January 2016 alleges that the drug maker, Sanofi S.A., knew or should have known that the rate of permanent alopecia related to Taxotere was far greater than with other products available. The plaintiff claims that users of the drug were not presented with an opportunity to make an informed choice as to whether the benefits of Taxotere were worth its associated risks. The plaintiff also claims that the drug maker engaged in a pattern of deception by overstating the benefits of the treatment as compared to other alternatives while simultaneously failing to warn of the risk of disfiguring permanent alopecia.
Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges that despite the fact the drug makers disclosed risks associated with Taxotere and permanent alopecia to patients and regulatory agencies in other countries, the drug maker failed to alert the plaintiff, the public, and the scientific community in the United States about the side effect of permanent hair loss. The lawsuit also alleges that the drug maker failed to update the warnings for Taxotere, and that they failed to disclose the results of additional studies as the drug maker learned new facts regarding the defects and risks of their product.
Taxotere Side Effects
Serious side effects of Taxotere include:
- Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), a type of blood cancer, can happen in people who take Taxotere along with certain other medications.
- Changes in blood counts due to leukemia and other blood disorders may occur years after treatment.
- Neurological symptoms, including numbness, tingling, or burning in the hands and feet may occur.
- Severe, sometimes life-threatening fluid retention may occur during treatment.
According to the FDA, common side effects of Taxotere include:
- Shortness of breath
- Constipation
- Decreased appetite
- Changes in fingernails and toenails
- Hair loss
- Skin reactions at the site of injection, including increased skin pigmentation, redness, tenderness, swelling, and warmth or dryness of the skin
- Mouth or lip sores
- Swelling of the hands, face, or feet
How an Arkansas Taxotere Hair Loss Lawsuit Can Help
Drug manufacturers have a duty to ensure their products are accompanied by full and accurate instructions and warnings to guide prescribing doctors and other health care providers in making treatment decisions. If a drug maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
Patients who are injured by Taxotere may be entitled to compensation for damages, including:
- Medical expenses
- The permanency of the injury
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- Loss of income or ability to work
If a patient dies from complications after taking Taxotere, family members may be entitled to compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one, including:
- Conscious pain and suffering of a loved one prior to death
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish from the loss of a loved one
- Funeral expenses
Patients who have suffered severe side effects, including permanent hair loss, after taking Taxotere, as well as the families of those who have died as a result of complications with the drug, are encouraged to seek the advice of an Arkansas Taxotere hair loss lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Arkansas. When you contact us, an attorney will follow up with you to speak with you about your case or answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
