A New York 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 New York Taxotere lawsuit and seek compensation for damages.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for New York 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?
Taxotere, also known as docetaxel, is used on its own or in combination with other medications to treat certain types of breast, lung, prostate, stomach, and head and neck cancers. In some rare cases, Taxotere may be used to treat ovarian cancer.
Taxotere belongs to a classification of medications called taxanes, natural compounds originally identified from the plants of the genus Taxus (yew). Taxanes, including Taxotere, are a type of mitotic inhibitor that block cell growth by stopping mitosis.
Taxotere and Permanent Hair Loss Studies
According to A Head of Our Time, a worldwide organization of people (mostly women who have suffered from breast cancer) who have been left permanently bald by the effects of chemotherapy, there are numerous accounts of patients who have experienced permanent alopecia (hair loss) after being treated with Taxotere.
Research conducted at the Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers in Denver, Colorado indicated that an increased percentage (6.3%) of patients who had taken Taxotere suffered from permanent disfiguring hair loss for years after the patients had stopped taking the medication.
In the late 1990s, Sanofi S.A. and Aventis Pharma S.A. (makers of the drug) sponsored and/or were aware of the GEICAM 9805 study that demonstrated that 9.2% of patients who took Taxotere had persistent hair loss for over 10 years or longer.
Taxotere Hair Loss Lawsuit Claims
Taxotere hair loss lawsuits in Illinois and Ohio claim that Sanofi S.A. and Aventis Pharma S.A. knowingly, intentionally, and wrongfully withheld those results contained in the GEICAM 9805 study from physicians, healthcare providers, and patients.
The lawsuit further alleges that the makers of the medication knew or should have known that a Denver-based oncologist at the Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers had observed an increase in the percentage of patients who suffered from disfiguring, long-lasting hair loss after they had been treated with Taxotere.
Despite the fact that the drug makers disclosed risks associated with Taxotere and permanent alopecia to patients and regulatory agencies in other countries, the lawsuit claims that the drug makers failed to either alert the plaintiff, the public, and the scientific community in the United States or perform further investigation into the safety of Taxotere regarding the side effect of disfiguring permanent hair loss.
Taxotere Side Effects
Common side effects of Taxotere include:
- Risk of infection: Taxotere can reduce the number of white blood cells in the blood, making it more likely to get an infection.
- Bruising and bleeding: Taxotere can reduce the number of platelets, cells that help the blood form clots.
- Anemia: Taxotere may reduce the number of red blood cells, cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. Patients who have a low red blood cell count may become tired or breathless.
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Sore mouth
- Taste change: A bitter or metallic taste may develop in the mouth, or patients may find that food tastes different.
- Hair loss
- Skin or nail changes
- Build-up of fluid
- Muscle and/or joint pain
In a safety communication issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2014, the agency warned that docetaxel (Taxotere) contains ethanol, a form of alcohol, which may cause patients to experience intoxication or feel drunk during or after treatment.
How a New York 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 New York 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 New York. 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.
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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.
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