A Taxotere alopecia attorney can help chemotherapy patients who took Taxotere and suffered permanent hair loss. Taxotere, a chemotherapy drug used to treat breast, prostate, non-small cell lung cancer, stomach, and head and neck cancers, has been linked to permanent, disfiguring hair loss. Affected patients and their families may be able to file a Taxotere hair loss lawsuit and seek compensation for their injuries.
For more information, contact Attorney Group 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 Taxotere alopecia attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is Alopecia?
Alopecia areata, alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis are the three forms of hair loss that are the result of an autoimmune disorder which causes the body’s white blood cells to attack hair follicles. Medical News Today points out that total hair loss caused by alopecia totalis can be masked, but the disorder itself is irreversible. Once contracted, alopecia is permanent. There are only short-term treatments for the resulting baldness, and alopecia will continue to cause hair loss as there is currently no cure.
About the Taxane Drug Group
The National Cancer Institute states that taxotere, also known as docetaxel, is a member of the taxane chemical family. It has been used widely since being approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006. The drug works to prevent cell division, which will in turn help to prevent the spread of cancerous cells. It was shown that people taking docetaxel had a higher rate of survival than the control group in a study that focused on the treatment of head and neck cancer. The same study however, indicated the following side effects:
- Alopecia
- Nausea
- Anemia
- Neutropenia
Taxotere and its potential side effects may be compared to another drug called paclitaxel. Paclitaxel is also in the taxane family and has the same uses in chemotherapy. While both taxanes, and most chemotherapy drugs, will result in hair loss, the alleged link to permanent alopecia has only been connected to Taxotere.
Does Taxotere Cause Permanent Hair Loss?
A common side effect of most chemotherapy treatments is hair loss. According to CBS News, a study found that hair loss occurred in 6.3 percent of patients, which would classify it as a frequent side effect. However, prior to 2015, Sanofi-Aventis, the company that manufactures Taxotere, may not have adequately disclosed information about the potential risks that could lead to alopecia and the possibility of possible hair loss.
It is being alleged that permanent alopecia stemming from Taxotere use has affected some patients in a way that has left them unable to regrow their hair through any type of treatment. Sanofi-Aventis acknowledged in 2008, that they were aware of some permanent alopecia caused by using Taxotere; however it wasn’t until December of 2015 that they began placing a warning label on the product, according to the FDA.
Taxotere Alopecia Lawsuits Filed
There is a lawsuit currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Ohio that asserts a failure on the part of Sanofi-Aventis to properly warn consumers of the potential risks of permanent hair loss stemming from Taxotere use. The plaintiff in the lawsuit filed her claim after she survived breast cancer, but did not see any hair regrow after 6 months off Taxotere. The lawsuit claims that Sanofi-Aventis was aware of the potential for permanent hair loss and misled the medical community and the public in order to continue sales of the drug.
How a Taxotere Alopecia Attorney 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 a Taxotere alopecia attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
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