A Mississippi Taxotere hair loss lawsuit may be an option for 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 eligible to file a Mississippi Taxotere lawsuit and seek compensation for damages.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Mississippi 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 and How Does It Work?
There are many forms of cancer treatments and medications, and the kind of treatment a patient may receive will depend on the type of cancer the patient has and how far along it is. Taxotere may be used alone or with other drugs to treat locally advanced or metastasized breast cancer, advanced gastric cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, prostate cancer, and locally advanced head and neck cancer. Oftentimes, Taxotere is used when these types of cancers cannot be treated with surgery or when other forms of chemotherapy have failed.
Taxotere belongs to a family of drugs called taxanes, chemical compounds originally produced by the plants of the genus Taxus (yew tree). Taxanes work by stopping the division and growth of cancer cells.
Taxotere and Permanent Hair Loss
Some types of chemotherapy may cause hair loss, or alopecia. Hair typically grows back once chemotherapy treatment has ended, however, some patients claim that they have experienced permanent hair loss after using Taxotere to treat their cancer.
In 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued updated safety information noting that cases of permanent alopecia had been reported.
In November 2014, researchers from the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in the United Kingdom published the results of a questionnaire sent to patients who had received docetaxel (Taxotere) during 2010 relating to patients’ experience with hair loss. According to the presentation’s abstract, significant persistent hair loss was reported in 15.8% (21 out of 134 respondents) of those that responded to the questionnaire.
Taxotere Hair Loss Lawsuit Claims
Although hair loss is a common side effect related to chemotherapy drugs, lawsuits filed in Ohio and Illinois claim that permanent hair loss is not. Through its publications and marketing material, Sanofi S.A. and its related companies and predecessors, misled the plaintiff, the public, and the medical community to believe that patients’ hair would grow back.
Taxotere hair loss lawsuits also allege that, as a result of the drug maker’s wrongful and deceptive acts, thousands of patients were exposed to the risk of disfiguring permanent alopecia without any warning and without added benefit. Likewise, plaintiffs claim that the drug makers preyed on one of the most vulnerable groups of individuals at the most difficult time in their lives, failing to provide (among other claims) adequate warnings about the true safety risks associated with the use of Taxotere.
Taxotere Side Effects and Risks
According to the Mayo Clinic, side effects that may occur with the use of Taxotere when used to treat certain kinds of cancer include:
- Congestion
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Skin rash or redness
- Sores or ulcers on the lips or mouth
- Weakness in the arms, legs, hands, and feet
- Dryness or soreness of the throat
Less common side effects may include:
- Bloody nose
- Runny nose
- Dry, red, hot, or irritated skin at the injection site
- Headache
Common side effects of Taxotere that may go away as the body adjusts to the treatment include constipation; diarrhea; dryness or soreness of the throat; nausea; sores or ulcers on the lips; tongue, or insides of the mouth; and weakness in the arms, hands, legs, or feet.
How a Mississippi 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 a Mississippi Taxotere hair loss lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
The Time You Have to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Mississippi. You can fill out the form on this page, call us at the number listed at the top of the page, or email us at info@attorneygroup.com.
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.
See our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information, and contact Attorney Group for Mississippi today.
